I have just completed my Ph.D. on generating agreement in electronic groups. Here is a penny's worth from that. The review I have done suggests there are three types of confidence:
1. Individual confidence based on intellectual analysis--"My thinking convinces me this is true" not as common as one might think, since how many of us are truly independent thinkers?
2. Confidence which is conveyed from another person whom we trust and believe in--such as a teacher. "I believe this because the teacher said so, and I trust them." This requires a person-to-person interaction.
3. Confidence arising from holding the same position as a group we identify with. "Everyone believes this, and so do I." When my subjects found that they were in agreement with the group, confidence went up, even though the computer-mediated interaction was anonymous, so personal trust could not be a cause.
So which type of confidence do we wish to instill in our students?