Spotlight on the Overexplanation Fallacy for Better Thinking and Mental Health
Nick Lechnir, ACB, CPD
Vice President Education TM - Learning and Development Administrator at Optum Serve
The Overexplanation fallacy of logos stems from a real paradox. It states that beyond a certain point, more explanation, instructions, data, discussion, evidence or proof inevitably results in less, not more, understanding.
Contemporary urban mythology holds that this fallacy is typically male ("Mansplaining"). But barely half a century ago, the prevailing myth was that it was men who were naturally monosyllabic, grunting or non-verbal, while women would typically overexplain (according the 1960 hit song by Joe Jones, "You Talk Too Much").
"Mansplaining" is, according to scholar Danelle Pecht, "the infuriating tendency of many men to always have to be the smartest person in the room, regardless of the topic of discussion and how much they actually know!" It is typically done in a manner perceived as condescending or patronizing.
This is behavior that is traditionally gender socialized by men which can be described as talking down to women, talking over them, or under explaining when communicating with women. Have you heard or said this before?
For the opposite sex, women have had many trials with being told directly or indirectly that they talk too much, or they talk too much about matters that are frivolous or not important. This is obviously not the case since there are no conclusive studies to confirm this fallacious claim.
The most infuriating research result is that when women actually manage to speak up (without being interrupted), their perceived competence drops by 35%, and they are often demonized as “bossy” and “aggressive”.
In the business world, women often walk a narrow tightrope. Either they don’t speak up and get overlooked, or they do speak up and possibly face repercussions for being unlikeable or “too assertive” (and also a threat to the male ego).
Excessive talking by either sex can occur due to personality traits or characteristics, and it may be a sign of insecurity. Also, it may be that people who are more extroverted will recharge by engaging socially with others in conversation, while introverts recharge by having time alone. Extroverts often think out loud, while introverts process more internally through deeper thinking.
In any event, overexplanation is most often never the answer in solving issues. Listening skills and healthy exchange of ideas and conversation is usually best.
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See also:
Have you ever seen a rare glimpse of a Mansplainer in the wild? It's quite the treat to witness if you can catch one in action at a party of in the office at a water cooler.
I sincerely appreciate your interest and support. Our mission is to always provide great content in helping you learn more about critical thinking, communication, speaking, presentation and learning skills.
Always keep leaping forward,
NJ
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