Being wrong at times - measuring situational variability in intellectual humility

Intellectual humility reflects the awareness and owning of one's own intellectual limitations. Most investigations focus on measuring intellectual humility as a stable disposition, leaving unexamined how it manifests and varies across concrete situations. The present study examines both individual differences as well as situational variability in intellectual humility by employing a new vignette-based questionnaire assessing intellectual humility as a state within five hypothetical scenarios. A sample of young German adults aged 20–35 years ( N = 106) completed two validated global trait questionnaires of intellectual humility as well as the vignette-based state questionnaire. The global trait scores and the aggregated state scores were positively correlated and exhibited a similar degree of construct validity in terms of (a) intercorrelations between scales and (b) positive associations with global social traits typically associated with intellectual humility. The situational scores additionally revealed substantial intrapersonal variability across situations that were also positively linked with individuals' social dispositions. Thus, intellectual humility varies not only between individuals but also across situations in meaningful ways. Intrapersonal variability is positively linked with social competence, suggesting that it may be adaptive in interpersonal contexts. • Intellectual humility assessed with global trait and situational vignette measures. • Global trait and mean situational state scores showed comparable construct validity. • Situational state intellectual humility showed substantial intrapersonal variability. • Intrapersonal variability was positively associated with social competence. • Situational variability in intellectual humility indicates adaptive flexibility.