Meanings
noun
- uncommonhuman sciencesThe tendency of people with a below average IQ to overestimate their IQ, and of people with an above average IQ to underestimate their IQ.
Origin
Named after C. L. Downing, who first observed the effect.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Downing effect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Downing%20effect
MLA
“Downing effect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Downing%20effect. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Downing effect,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Downing%20effect.
Source: Downing effect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.