Becoming Humble

What Shapes Intellectual Humility?

To become intellectually humble, we need to understand psychological factors and environmental conditions that facilitate or inhibit intellectual humility. According to scientific research, intellectual humility is shaped by the following factors:

  • A growth mindset of intelligence, the beliefs that people can develop their intelligence, can increase intellectual humility4

  • Fallibility salience, reflecting that their knowledge on some topics may be incomplete, can increase intellectual humility8

  • Perceived partner responsiveness, the perception that people are cared for by their partner, can increase intellectual humility5

  • Secure attachment, feelings of being protected by caregivers, can increase intellectual humility9

  • Distanced self-reflection, reflecting oneself from a third-person perspective, can increase intellectual humility10



How to become intellectually humble

According to scientific research, you can be more intellectually humble by doing these:

  • Recognize your own limitations and biases in obtaining information and evaluating evidence11

  • Acknowledge that your beliefs and attitudes might be mistaken12

  • Remember that you can develop your intelligence by learning from others4

  • Build the habit of asking for feedback from others13

  • Become more open to listening to others who disagree with you14

  • Understand the benefits of being intellectually humble15

  • Think about how these benefits would help you understand the world more accurately and make wise judgments16

  • Think about how much you are cared for by your significant others5