Paper Summary

Methodology

The study investigated why people prefer simple explanations by comparing preferences for explanations and processes through seven experiments involving 2,820 participants. Participants were presented with scenarios involving both simple and complex methods to explain or produce outcomes. Some experiments included statistical information about the probability of these methods, while others did not. For instance, one vignette described how “Gozo flies” could turn purple by eating one or two substances.

Participants then judged which method was more appealing as an explanation or process. The experiments were conducted online, with participants sourced from reputable crowdsourcing platforms like Prolific and CloudResearch. Data collection and analysis were pre-registered, ensuring transparency and replicability.

Key Results

The study found that people generally prefer simpler explanations and methods when statistical data is absent. When statistical data indicating higher probabilities for complex methods was provided, preferences shifted. For example, participants often favored a simpler explanation unless the probability of the complex explanation was overwhelmingly higher.

Importantly, the preference for simplicity was consistent across explanations and processes, suggesting shared cognitive mechanisms at play. This means people might favor simplicity not because it’s an inherent virtue of explanations but because it aligns with broader cognitive preferences for efficiency.

Study Limitations

First, the scenarios used, like flies turning purple, may not fully capture real-world complexity. The findings might not generalize to domains where explanations require intricate reasoning or where the stakes are high. Additionally, the study focused on participants from specific demographics, primarily recruited online, which might not reflect global diversity. Lastly, the statistical manipulations might not account for other factors, such as emotional or cultural biases, that influence explanation preferences.

Discussion & Takeaways

This research sheds light on why simplicity often wins in human reasoning. Preferences for simple explanations and methods may arise from a general desire for efficiency in achieving goals. However, when presented with data indicating greater reliability of complex explanations, people are willing to adapt. This highlights the flexibility of human cognition and underscores the importance of context in decision-making. For educators, scientists, and communicators, understanding this preference can guide how information is presented to align with intuitive reasoning patterns.

Funding & Disclosures

The research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The authors declared no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could influence the study. All materials, data, and analytic code are accessible through the Open Science Framework for full transparency.