Concept · Cognitive Bias: Self-assessment biases
Overclaiming
Origin: Paulhus et al., 2003
Biological Parallel
Male bowerbirds defend 'territories' they've never actually controlled and display as if they've achieved mating success they haven't earned—fabricating status signals when verification costs are high for females. This dishonest signaling persists because receivers cannot cheaply audit every claim: if each female visited every male's complete history, overclaiming would fail instantly. Strategic misrepresentation thrives in information-poor environments where the cost of lying is lower than the benefit of appearing competent.