Episodes / Episode 02
Episode 02 · November 2, 2026The illusion of explanatory depth
Can You Draw a Bicycle?
You feel you understand how something works, until you have to explain it. Over 40 percent of people couldn't draw a bicycle that works, though nearly all of them had learned to ride one.
What you can do
- Tested Before you argue, buy or sign something you think you understand, take 15 seconds and ask: could I explain this to an expert, step by step, with no gaps?Across nine experiments, asking it lowered how well people rated their own understanding (Johnson, Murphy & Messer, 2016).
- Our suggestion Use the question before a big decision.The studies tested the question, not when to ask it.
The studies
- Lawson (2006). The science of cycology: Failures to understand how everyday objects work. Memory & Cognition 34(8), 1667-1675. doi.org/10.3758/BF03195929
- Rozenblit & Keil (2002). The misunderstood limits of folk science: An illusion of explanatory depth. Cognitive Science 26(5), 521-562. doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog2605_1
- Fernbach, Rogers, Fox & Sloman (2013). Political extremism is supported by an illusion of understanding. Psychological Science 24(6), 939-946. doi.org/10.1177/0956797612464058
- Crawford & Ruscio (2021). Asking people to explain complex policies does not increase political moderation. Psychological Science 32(4), 611-621. doi.org/10.1177/0956797620972367
- Johnson, Murphy & Messer (2016). Reflecting on explanatory ability: A mechanism for detecting gaps in causal knowledge. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 145(5), 573-588. doi.org/10.1037/xge0000161
General education, not medical or psychological advice. Illustrations are stylized and don't show real people.
