Curse of Knowledge

QUOTE

Epictetus once said…

“It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.”

(Greek Stoic philosopher.)

CONCEPT

Curse of Knowledge

The Curse of Knowledge is a cognitive bias that occurs when an individual, possessing a certain level of expertise or knowledge, finds it challenging to imagine what it's like not to know something.

This bias can lead to a communication gap between experts and novices, where experts assume that the concepts or facts they understand are equally clear to others.

This often results in explanations that are too complex, overlook basic details, or use jargon that is unfamiliar to the audience.

STORY

Tap Tap Tap … Clear as Day?

In the late 20th century, Dr. Elizabeth Newton, a psychologist at Stanford University, conducted a simple yet revealing experiment to demonstrate the Curse of Knowledge.

Dr. Newton asked participants to tap out the rhythm of a well-known song with their fingers and predict the likelihood that a listener would correctly identify the song.

The tappers, with melodies vividly playing in their minds, tapped away with confidence. They predicted a 50% success rate, a testament to their belief in the clarity of their musical messages.

The listeners, however, adrift in a sea of ambiguous taps devoid of melody and harmony, found themselves grappling in the dark.

Much to the tappers’ surprise, the success rate was a mere 2.5%—a striking disparity from the their optimistic predictions.

This experiment beautifully illustrates the Curse of Knowledge. The tappers, knowing the tune, found it impossible to imagine the listener's perspective, who only heard a series of disjointed taps. For the tapper, the melody was clear in their mind, making it difficult to understand how the listener could not hear it in the taps. This gap in understanding showcases how knowledge can create a barrier to effective communication.

Dr. Newton's experiment underscores a crucial point: possessing knowledge can inadvertently isolate experts from those they are trying to communicate with or teach.

The key to bridging this divide is not merely in what we know, but in our ability to appreciate what others do not, guiding us towards more effective and empathetic communication.