Mind the knowledge gap: Reflecting about science and one’s own knowledge (limits) through explaining scientific issues

Doctoral examination procedure finished at: Doctoral examination procedure at University of Münster

End date of doctoral examination procedure: 01/04/2021

Name of the doctoral candidate: Vaupotič, Nina

Doctoral subject: Psychologie

Doctoral degree: Dr. phil.

Awarded by: Department 07 - Psychology and Sport Studies

Because of scientific development, knowledge has become highly specialised, and consequently, many scientific issues are too difficult to understand if one has not been educated in the related (academic) field. People therefore have to employ different strategies to cope with the high distribution of knowledge; they have to evaluate different sources of information as well as reflect on their own knowledge about science. Realising the incompleteness of one’s own understanding can be induced through previously unanticipated struggle to explain how something works, a phenomenon described in the work on the illusion of explanatory depth (Rozenblit & Keil, 2002). In the present doctoral project, I want to explore how people deal with the boundaries of science and the boundaries of their own skills and knowledge by studying their metacognitive reflection after explaining a scientific issue. The overarching aim of the project is to better understand the circumstances under which people develop efficient practices for coping with science in their everyday lives.