Imagine a common situation where women and individuals experiencing anxiety appear to underestimate their own abilities—but here's where it gets controversial: are these underestimations rooted in the same underlying processes? Recent research from University College London (UCL) dives into this intriguing question, revealing that women and anxious individuals exhibit two distinct types of underconfidence—each influenced by different psychological mechanisms.
The study found that when participants engaged in a simple task—such as answering whether an image contains more red berries or purple berries—and were asked to rate their confidence, their response times played a crucial role in understanding their confidence levels. Specifically, with longer reflection, those with anxiety tended to feel even less confident in their answers. On the other hand, women who initially displayed underconfidence actually gained confidence after taking more time.
Dr. Sucharit Katyal, the lead author, explained that prior research had established that women and people with anxiety are more likely to doubt their abilities even when their actual skills are comparable to others. But what still remained unclear was whether these doubts stemmed from the same causes. This study aimed to explore that very question.
In their analysis, the team combined data from two earlier studies, involving a total of 1,447 participants who answered simple questions while their decision-making process and confidence levels were recorded. They also developed a sophisticated computational model that traced how confidence shifts over time.
One of the key findings was that individuals with high anxiety levels experienced a further decline in confidence as they spent more time pondering their answers. This was attributed to a mental process called negative rumination—repetitive, self-critical thoughts—that intensifies with additional reflection. In contrast, the gender differences observed showed that, although women started out more underconfident compared to men, this difference lessened as they took more time to think through their responses. This suggests that men and women have different internal benchmarks or thresholds for feeling sure about their judgments, which influence how their confidence evolves.
For those who are underconfident but not anxious, the researchers suggest that giving themselves more time to process decisions might help boost confidence—something that could be particularly useful in educational or professional settings.
Dr. Katyal emphasized, “Underconfidence isn’t a one-size-fits-all phenomenon. Our findings indicate there are at least two different pathways leading to self-doubt: one influenced by anxiety, where time can deepen the doubt, and another more linked to gender-related evaluation thresholds, where additional reflection might help build confidence.”
Professor Steve Fleming, senior author from UCL Psychology & Language Sciences, highlighted the practical implications of this research. By understanding these mechanisms, psychologists and clinicians can better tailor interventions—such as strategies to interrupt negative self-talk in anxious individuals or encouraging more thoughtful decision-making to reduce gender-based confidence gaps.
This research not only deepens our understanding of confidence but also sparks a critical question: Should mental health treatments be personalized to address different types of underconfidence? Or is there a risk that emphasizing differences might reinforce stereotypes? What’s your take—do you agree or see flaws in these interpretations? Feel free to share your perspective below.
