What is false consensus effect?

False consensus effect is a concept in personal epistemology: Assuming others share your values causes persistent misunderstanding.

Example: You value autonomy above almost everything. You hate being micromanaged, you give your direct reports maximum freedom, and you judge leaders who check in frequently as controlling. Then you get feedback that two of your team members feel unsupported and directionless. They don't value autonomy the way you do — they value security and clear guidance. You weren't being a good leader by giving them space. You were projecting your values onto people who needed something different.

This concept is part of Phase 32 (Value Identification) in the How to Think curriculum, which builds the epistemic infrastructure for value identification.