Leaders in disguise: power, perception, and paradox – economics and the fragile authority of politicians

Abstract

In the context of political leadership, this paper investigates the psychological phenomena of the Dunning-Kruger Effect (DKE) and Impostor Syndrome. It examines the impact of these two cognitive fallacies on the performance, decision-making, and behaviour of politicians. DKE causes less competent politicians to exaggerate their abilities, frequently resulting in poor decision-making and policy errors, while Impostor Syndrome causes highly competent politicians to doubt their abilities, attributing their success to external factors. The paper also explores the implications of these phenomena for political communication, leadership, and governance, particularly in environments that are characterized by high public scrutiny and media pressure. It also investigates the ways in which these cognitive prejudices can be amplified by political marketing and digital platforms, thereby affecting electoral outcomes and voter behaviour. Ultimately, the research underscores the necessity of political leaders exhibiting a higher degree of humility and selfawareness to promote more effective decision-making and governance.

Keywords

• impostor syndrome
• dunning-kruger effect
• political leadership
• governance
• cognitive biases
• political marketing