Stages of Competence

Unconscious Incompetence

When we dont't understand or know how to do something and don't necessarily recognize the deficit. We may deny the usefulness of the skill. We must recognize our own incompetence, and the value of the new skill, before moving on to the next stage. The length of time we spend in this stage depends on the strength of the stimulus to learn.

Conscious Incompetence

Though we don't understand or know how to do something, we recognize the deficit, as well as the value of a new skill in addressing the deficit. The making of mistakes can be integral to the learning process at this stage.

Conscious Competence

We understand or know how to do something. However, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires concentration. It may be broken down into steps, and there is heavy conscious involvement in executing the new skill.

Unconscious Competence

We have had so much practice with a skill that it has become "second nature" and can be performed easily. As a result, the skill can be performed while executing another task. We may be able to teach it to others, depending upon how and when it was learned.