Intellectual humility: On recognizing our limits

Humans err: No one perceives everything accurately or knows all there is to know. Our intellectual limits contribute to a host of problems and cannot be fully overcome, but might there be a more adaptive way of responding to them? This chapter explores one promising approach in the concept of intellectual humility, recognizing the limits of our knowledge and beliefs. I begin by investigating historical roots of the term intellectual humility, examining modern conceptualizations, and reviewing methods for measuring intellectual humility. I then discuss how intellectual humility shapes learning and behavior in polarized contexts, underscoring its relevance for contemporary issues like misinformation and societal division. Finally, I describe evidence-based strategies for fostering intellectual humility.