Doubt

This entry focuses on doubt in childhood as well as the positive and negative consequences of doubt over the life span. Doubt is a metacognitive experience of uncertainty. However, important distinctions exist between types of doubt: Although informational doubt is uncertainty regarding whether one has enough information for an accurate judgment (epistemic dimension; i.e., knowing you are uncertain), personal (self) doubt is uncertainty in one’s competence (affective dimension; i.e., feeling uncertain). Although informational doubts arouse little discomfort, personal doubts are extremely unpleasant and people are motivated to resolve them.