The Dunning-Kruger Effect Exploitation
In tradecraft, exploiting the Dunning-Kruger Effect – where overconfidence blinds individuals to their own limitations – allows operatives to subtly manipulate targets into making decisions that serve their mission.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a psychological phenomenon where individuals with limited knowledge or competence in a particular area overestimate their abilities.
In the field of covert operations, this cognitive bias can be turned into an advantage, allowing an operative to manipulate a target without them ever realizing it. By exploiting the target’s inflated self-perception, an operative can push them into making choices that suit operational objectives while the target believes they’re acting from a place of expertise.
Exploiting the Dunning-Kruger Effect is about using a target’s ego against them. Becoming prime candidates for manipulation through subtle flattery and suggestion. A skilled operative can nudge these targets into making decisions that serve the mission, all while the target believes they’re acting on their expertise.
[INTEL : Advanced Situational Manipulation Primer]
[OPTICS : Paris, France]