Authority Misinfluence
We defer excessively to perceived authority.
Key Principle
Evaluate claims on merit, regardless of the source's status.
Understanding Authority Misinfluence
Authority-misinfluence tendency causes us to give too much weight to the opinions of perceived authorities—even when those authorities are outside their domain of expertise, when their incentives are misaligned, or when they're simply wrong.
Stanley Milgram's famous experiments showed ordinary people administering what they believed were dangerous electric shocks simply because an authority figure instructed them to. We're wired to defer to authority, and this wiring can be exploited.
In business, this manifests as following executive pronouncements uncritically, accepting expert opinions in fields where expertise doesn't transfer, and giving credence to anyone with impressive credentials.
Real-World Examples
- Following celebrity health advice despite lack of medical credentials.
- Accepting a CEO's market predictions because of their business success.
- Trusting a famous investor's stock picks outside their circle of competence.
- Deferring to "experts" whose expertise is in a different domain.
How to Apply This
Ask: Is this authority actually an expert in this specific domain?
Check for misaligned incentives even with genuine authorities
Seek out dissenting expert opinions
Develop your own judgment rather than outsourcing it
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming success in one domain transfers to others
- Not questioning experts when their advice contradicts evidence
- Being intimidated into silence by credentials
- Ignoring valid input from non-authorities
Notable Quotes
"I have three boxes on my desk: In, Out, and Too Hard."
— Warren Buffett