--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive…" description: "\"“The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias that leads people highly informed about a topic to be unable to think about it in a fresh way, with a fre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/nat-greene-9189_knowledge_the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bi_1041283.jpg" --- # The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias that leads… ![“The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias that leads people highly informed about a topic to be unable to think about it in a fresh way, with a fresh pair of eyes.” quote by Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/nat-greene-9189_knowledge_the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bi_1041283.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/nat-greene-9189_knowledge_the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bi_1041283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/nat-greene-9189_knowledge_the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bi_1041283.jpg) > ““The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias that leads people highly informed about a topic to be unable to think about it in a fresh way, with a fresh pair of eyes.”” [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deep expertise can blind one to fresh perspectives. **In simple terms:** Expertise blinds fresh view. Key Takeaway Seek outsider feedback. Themes cognition bias communication Mood analytical cautious Type educational psychological When to use this quote - teaching - writing - product design - policy making Key Concepts curse of knowledge mental models Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay open? - When have you missed a fresh view? A Different Perspective Too much knowledge can hinder empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Cognitive Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cognitive-bias-233381/) [Curse Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse-knowledge-2282353/) [Highly Informed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highly-informed-2435390/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Knowledge Cognitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge-cognitive-2435389/) ## Related quotes > [“Over and over again, the same people would walk into the same meetings, do things the same ways, and get the same results without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/over-and-over-again-the-same-people-would-walk-into-the-same-meetings/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Cognitive bias is the biggest self-imposed obstacle to progress, not only for oneself but in the end, for all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cognitive-bias-is-the-biggest-self-imposed-obstacle-to-progress-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Almost every culture has a cognitive bias for the tough guy, the alpha, the winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/almost-every-culture-has-a-cognitive-bias-for-the-tough-guy-the-alpha/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The Curse of Knowledge: when we are given knowledge, it is impossible to imagine what it's like to LACK that knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath/the-curse-of-knowledge-when-we-are-given-knowledge-it-is-impossible/) [Chip Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath/) > [“Cognitive bias will maintain their belief in the impossible long after the facts have been made clear to them. Only when confronted with impending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-vandyke/cognitive-bias-will-maintain-their-belief-in-the-impossible-long/) [David VanDyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-vandyke/) > [“Have you ever come across people that you know are less competent yet they confidently claim to be otherwise? This is in fact another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-holm/have-you-ever-come-across-people-that-you-know-are-less-competent-yet/) [Charles Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-holm/) > [“The greatest leaders in the world fight cognitive bias by developing 'rules to live by' and carefully following predetermined routines to maximize efficiency and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-fraseur/the-greatest-leaders-in-the-world-fight-cognitive-bias-by-developing/) [Spencer Fraseur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-fraseur/) > [ “Stephen Anderson, author of Seductive Interaction Design, created a tool called Mental Notes to help designers build better products through heuristics.\[lxviii\] Each of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/stephen-anderson-author-of-seductive-interaction-design-created-a/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [“The last major risk to getting good facts is our own prejudices. While we may not always test a solution based on our opinions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/the-last-major-risk-to-getting-good-facts-is-our-own-prejudices-while/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [I can say this very clearly: I have come into this Congress with an antiwar bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-frankel/i-can-say-this-very-clearly-i-have-come-into-this-congress-with-an/) [Lois Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-frankel/) > [Fortunately for serious minds, a bias recognized is a bias sterilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/fortunately-for-serious-minds-a-bias-recognized-is-a-bias-sterilized/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [The print is devised so that I can cut the dresses on the bias, so they work around the body. It's not like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/the-print-is-devised-so-that-i-can-cut-the-dresses-on-the-bias-so/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) ## More by Nat Greene > [“If you believe that success is inevitable, you’re less likely to work your tail off in order to achieve it. Hard problems are definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/if-you-believe-that-success-is-inevitable-you-re-less-likely-to-work/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“To solve truly hard problems, you’ll need to use a method that doesn’t involve guessing in any step.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/to-solve-truly-hard-problems-you-ll-need-to-use-a-method-that-doesn-t/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Defining the acceptable and unacceptable ranges for this variable means that the problem definition is objective and immune to opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/defining-the-acceptable-and-unacceptable-ranges-for-this-variable/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Embrace your ignorance. Most people try to solve problems using the knowledge they already have about a process, but it’s what you don’t know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/embrace-your-ignorance-most-people-try-to-solve-problems-using-the/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“When a system isn’t working right, someone has to understand how it’s meant to work, at the right depth, in order to fix it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/when-a-system-isn-t-working-right-someone-has-to-understand-how-it-s/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“When you move down your tree, keep in mind there may be multiple variables contributing to the failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/when-you-move-down-your-tree-keep-in-mind-there-may-be-multiple/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance. —HIPPOCRATES, ANCIENT GREEK FOUNDER OF THE SCIENCE OF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/there-are-in-fact-two-things-science-and-opinion-the-former-begets-2/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“We need to understand what variables most directly control our primary variable by understanding the science behind how the system works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/we-need-to-understand-what-variables-most-directly-control-our/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Perhaps many aid organizations make assumptions about the problem they are solving, and throw hundreds of billions of dollars at the problem to little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/perhaps-many-aid-organizations-make-assumptions-about-the-problem/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“The last major risk to getting good facts is our own prejudices. While we may not always test a solution based on our opinions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/the-last-major-risk-to-getting-good-facts-is-our-own-prejudices-while/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“most methods disguise the guessing stage in some fancy language, such as “determine possible root causes.” This is making a list of guesses, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/most-methods-disguise-the-guessing-stage-in-some-fancy-language-such/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Perhaps the most useful approach for defining the problem well is structuring it as a measurable variable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/perhaps-the-most-useful-approach-for-defining-the-problem-well-is/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Don’t confuse believing in a simple solution with hoping that a simple guess will work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/don-t-confuse-believing-in-a-simple-solution-with-hoping-that-a/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Keep in mind that the method you choose to guide you is of little use without strong problem-solving behaviors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/keep-in-mind-that-the-method-you-choose-to-guide-you-is-of-little-use/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) > [“Even when diving into a problem, there’s a fear of looking ignorant or “stupid” by asking questions one is “supposed to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/even-when-diving-into-a-problem-there-s-a-fear-of-looking-ignorant-or/) [Nat Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) [Explore all 74 Nat Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/) ## More Bias quotes > [The print is devised so that I can cut the dresses on the bias, so they work around the body. It's not like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/the-print-is-devised-so-that-i-can-cut-the-dresses-on-the-bias-so/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [Fortunately for serious minds, a bias recognized is a bias sterilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/fortunately-for-serious-minds-a-bias-recognized-is-a-bias-sterilized/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [I can say this very clearly: I have come into this Congress with an antiwar bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-frankel/i-can-say-this-very-clearly-i-have-come-into-this-congress-with-an/) [Lois Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-frankel/) > [The legal bias for special protection for women has begun to wreak havoc with the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/the-legal-bias-for-special-protection-for-women-has-begun-to-wreak/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [That's awesome. There's no bias in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-edwards/that-s-awesome-there-s-no-bias-in-the-media/) [Carl Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-edwards/) > [“The most disgusting human trait is bias, because it typically leads to propaganda, hate and violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lifsey/the-most-disgusting-human-trait-is-bias-because-it-typically-leads-to/) [Lori Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lifsey/) > [I'm speaking out against social media bias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-loomer/i-m-speaking-out-against-social-media-bias/) [Laura Loomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-loomer/) > [“I pick up a copy of Newsweek on the plane and immediately notice how biased, slanted, and opinionated all the U.S. newsmagazine articles are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-pick-up-a-copy-of-newsweek-on-the-plane-and-immediately-notice-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“Hundreds of studies confirm that human forecasts are flawed and biased. Human decision making is not so great either. Again to take just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/hundreds-of-studies-confirm-that-human-forecasts-are-flawed-and/) [Richard H. Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-h-thaler/) > [“Many journalists now are no more than channelers and echoers of what George Orwell called the 'official truth'. They simply cipher and transmit lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/many-journalists-now-are-no-more-than-channelers-and-echoers-of-what/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [The stance I took was there is no room for racial bias anywhere in sports. I believe that was basically all I said about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-larkin/the-stance-i-took-was-there-is-no-room-for-racial-bias-anywhere-in/) [Barry Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-larkin/) > [First and foremost, if you want to be a good writer, you need to be a good eater. You need to be fearless when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/first-and-foremost-if-you-want-to-be-a-good-writer-you-need-to-be-a/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) [Browse all 667 Bias quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias that leads people highly informed about a topic to be unable to think about it in a fresh way, with a fresh pair of eyes.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nat Greene" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bias-that-leads-people-highly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bias" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bias-that-leads-people-highly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/nat-greene-9189_knowledge_the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bi_1041283.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/nat-greene-9189_knowledge_the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bi_1041283.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/nat-greene-9189_knowledge_the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bi_1041283.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The “curse of knowledge” is a cognitive bias that leads people highly informed about a topic to be unable to…” — Nat Greene", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nat Greene", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-greene/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The “curse of knowledge” is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bias-that-leads-people-highly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-greene/the-curse-of-knowledge-is-a-cognitive-bias-that-leads-people-highly/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```