What is the Illusion of Explanatory Depth—and What Does It Mean for Your Learning?

When was the last time you watched a Youtube video to try to learn a new skill? Maybe you were attempting to fix the kitchen sink, or perhaps you were learning how to play guitar. How did it go? How many attempts did it take for you to perfect the skill that the content creator executed flawlessly?

If you’re like most people, you probably paused the video several times, went back to review an important step, and maybe even watched the whole thing once or twice over. Even after all of that, you might’ve found yourself still struggling to master the skill. This familiar experience actually has a name: the illusion of explanatory depth (IOED).

It might sound complex, but it’s more straightforward—and common—than you might think. If you’re new to the idea, the illusion of explanatory depth occurs when people feel that they understand a complex topic or concept better than they actually do. It’s only when we’re tasked with having to explain a concept that we realize we know less than we thought we did.

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