We have capacity to solve much more complex problems when working together compared to when we work alone, but we also have greater capacity to deceive ourselves.
Competence tends to be demonstrated in generalized skills that can be applied to many problems within a field of study and that can be applied to problems in other fields. It is more valuables than the compliance we usually measure in school.
The language used by humans to describe experience is a very important source of data, and that textual data gathered through qualitative research methods can be used to explain social phenomena as well as quantitative data can be used to explain phenomena in the natural sciences.