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Concreteness and abstraction in everyday explanation.

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Philosophers suggest abstract explanations are best, but experiments show people prefer concrete details. People value explanations that highlight causal factors, even with irrelevant details included.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Philosophy of Science

Background:

  • Philosophical theories advocate for abstract explanations, emphasizing causal difference makers.
  • Abstract explanations are considered superior to concrete ones for highlighting essential causal factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To empirically test whether people prefer abstract or concrete explanations.
  • To investigate if individuals prioritize causal relevance over descriptive detail in explanations.

Main Methods:

  • Participants were presented with explanations varying in abstraction and detail.
  • Experimental tasks assessed preferences for abstract vs. concrete explanations.
  • Evaluated tolerance for causally irrelevant information in explanations.

Main Results:

  • Contrary to philosophical prescriptions, participants showed a preference for concrete and detailed explanations.
  • Explanations with concrete details were rated higher than abstract ones.
  • Participants often did not penalize causally irrelevant details but downgraded explanations lacking critical causal properties.

Conclusions:

  • Laypeople's preferences for explanations diverge from philosophical ideals of abstraction.
  • Concreteness and detail are favored in explanations, though causal accuracy remains important.
  • Future research should explore the cognitive underpinnings of explanation preferences.