Episode 041: The Science of a Good Explanation with Tania Lombrozo

Why do we crave explanations—and what happens when they lead us astray? In this episode, our host, Annie Duke, sits down with cognitive scientist Tania Lombrozo to explore the psychology of “why.” 

From puzzling over everyday baking mishaps to big-picture questions about conspiracy theories, Tania unpacks how our drive to explain shapes what we believe, how we learn, and the choices we make. Together, Annie and Tania dive into strategies for better reasoning—like probabilistic thinking, generating alternative explanations, and shifting from “could it be true?” to “must it be true?”

Key takeaways include why teaching is one of the most powerful learning tools, how to avoid the trap of “satisfying over correct” explanations, and what conspiracy thinking reveals about our deep discomfort with randomness.

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This is The Decision Education Podcast, where we explore the science of decision-making with a diverse range of experts and offer practical strategies to transform our understanding of the role decisions play in our lives.