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curse of knowledge
You cannot imagine not knowing what you already know.
A 1990 experiment showed that people assume listeners will identify a tapped song 50% of the time, while the actual rate is only 2.5%.
Once you possess information, it becomes impossible to simulate the ignorance of someone who lacks it. You assume your mental state is the default state for everyone else.
This explains why you struggle to explain simple things to others.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Newton, 1990
- What the check found
- The numbers and attribution to Elizabeth Newton (1990) are widely cited and consistent with the reference material provided.
- Confidence
- Solid, with limits
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.