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Contextual utility affects the perceived quality of explanations
Nadya Vasilyeva1, Daniel Wilkenfeld2, Tania Lombrozo3
1Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, 3210 Tolman Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. vasilyeva@berkeley.edu.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|April 8, 2017
Summary
The perceived quality of scientific explanations depends on the task at hand. Explanations are rated higher when they support task-relevant inferences, highlighting the contextual utility of scientific understanding.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Philosophy of Science
- Psychology
Background:
- The evaluation of scientific explanations often assumes objective criteria.
- However, the utility of an explanation may depend on the specific inferential needs of the individual.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether different types of explanations (formal, mechanistic, teleological) are judged differently based on their contextual utility.
- To determine if the perceived quality of an explanation is influenced by the inferences it supports for a given task.
Main Methods:
- Three studies were conducted to assess the relationship between explanation type, task demands, and perceived explanation quality.
- Participants' task-relevant inference needs were manipulated to evaluate their judgments of different explanation types.
Main Results:
- The perceived quality of explanations is significantly influenced by the evaluator's current task.
- Explanations receive a boost in ratings when they facilitate task-relevant inferences, irrespective of explanation type.
- Mechanistic explanations were rated higher when participants focused on proximate causes compared to category membership or functions.
Conclusions:
- The findings support pragmatic and pluralist views of explanation, suggesting that explanation quality is not absolute but context-dependent.
- The utility of an explanation, defined by its inferential support, is a key factor in its evaluation.