How does that work? (1, #38)
On the Illusion of Explanatory Depth — Estimated Read Time: 49 seconds.
Do you know how a pen works? It’s not that complicated:
Ballpoint pens operate via a rolling ball at the tip, which transfers ink from an internal reservoir tube onto the paper. The ball fits tightly into the pen tip, creating a seal to prevent ink from leaking out when not in use.
Got it? On a scale from 1–7, how would you rate your understanding?
Okay, now: Try to clearly explain how these pens work, without just repeating what you read above. Why does the ink dry on the paper, but not in the pen? How does the ball transfer ink without smearing it?
If you suddenly feel like you should lower your initial rating, you’re experiencing a psychological phenomenon called “the illusion of explanatory depth.” Similar to the famous Dunning-Kruger effect, this bias makes us believe that we’re experts on technical topics, even if we’ve just learned about them.
This is part of what leads to the spread of misinformation. We are victims—believing the confident claims of non-experts. But we are also perpetrators—for instance, writing a newsletter about a psychological concept that you only just read about in an article, this week.
Beware!
Insight inspired by Google Isn’t Grad School (by Arthur C Brooks). Plus (primary source!) the original study, The misunderstood limits of folk science: an illusion of explanatory depth.
Okay, as a very fitting follow-up: It seems that the Illusion of Explanatory Depth actually has more to do with our inability to explain things that we think we understand, rather than our inability to understand things after they've been explained to us. Essentially, familiarity ≠ true comprehension.