But how many believe they’re average? Most think they’re better than that—a self-confidence known, naturally enough, as the “above-average effect” or “illusory superiority.” Like everyone else, even Norm once thought he was better than average. This is illusory for obvious reasons. For example, since only half of drivers can be in the top half, if exactly half of all drivers thought they were in the top half, they could in theory all be wrong. Even if you’re genuinely better, you might not be much better. And if above-average driving ability turns you into an above-average jerk, you might be so cocky that you become a bigger hazard.