“Expert” Common Sense is Often Nonsense

Why Common Sense Fails: Science vs Popular Myths in Psychology

Introduction: The Danger of “This Makes Sense”

The most dangerous phrase in the English language might just be “this makes sense.” At first glance, it seems harmless—a simple phrase used to confirm understanding. Yet, as experts in psychology and science reveal, “common sense” is often misleading, contradicting reality, facts, and scientific truth. We tend to trust our intuition and limited experiences to explain complex phenomena, but reality is far more intricate, governed by multiple variables and pathways.

This blog post dives deep into why common sense frequently leads us astray, contrasting it with the scientific method’s humility and rigor. We will explore seven prevalent myths about narcissism, brain behavior, heredity, identity, parenting, gender differences, social contagion, and addiction, debunking them with scientific insights and emphasizing the necessity of evidence over intuition.

The Limits of Common Sense and the Power of Science

Why Common Sense Is Often Nonsense

Common sense simplifies the complex world into straightforward cause-and-effect relationships. For example, it assumes if trauma causes narcissism, then all traumatized people should become narcissists. Real life, however, is never so simple.

• Limited Experience: Humans filter out 95% of information and cannot perceive multiple dimensions of reality.
• Overconfidence: Believing common sense is reliable is a form of hubris, ignoring the unknown complexities of human behavior and biology.
• Contradiction to Facts: History has shown common sense can be flat wrong—such as the belief that the sun revolves around the earth or that the Earth is flat.

Science’s Humble Approach

Science does not claim to “know” outright but constantly investigates and tests hypotheses. Unlike common sense, science:

• Considers multiple explanations and possibilities.
• Relies on evidence, experimentation, and replication.
• Maintains an open, objective mindset, avoiding premature conclusions.

“Science is humble. Science is about humility,” explains Sanvakning, PhD physicist and psychology professor.

Debunking Seven Common Sense Myths

1. Trauma Directly Causes Pathological Narcissism

Common Sense Claim: Trauma always leads to narcissism; if not, trauma cannot be the cause.
Scientific Reality: Trauma is just one factor among many, including genetics, brain abnormalities, prenatal conditions, and environmental influences.

• Only some traumatized individuals develop narcissism.
• Multiple pathways and interactions affect outcomes.
• Scientific research requires controlled studies, clinical trials, and genetics exploration, which are ongoing and inconclusive.

2. Brain Regions That React to Medication Cause Behavior

Common Sense Claim: If a brain area changes when medicated, it must cause the behavior.
Scientific Reality: It’s unclear whether behavior changes the brain or vice versa.

• Neuroscience is a young science with limited longitudinal and randomized studies.
• Many studies lack control groups and rigorous design.
• The chicken-or-egg dilemma remains unresolved.

3. Hereditary Traits Determine Behavior

Common Sense Claim: Since traits are genetic and behaviors stem from traits, behaviors are genetically determined.
Scientific Reality: The relationship is complex; behaviors can also influence gene expression via epigenetics.

• Behavior might trigger gene activation.
• Traits and behaviors influence each other bidirectionally.
• Science eliminates false hypotheses through experiments, not assumptions.

4. Identity Is Determined by Others Through Interaction

Common Sense Claim: Because humans interact with others from birth, identity depends on social interaction.
Scientific Reality: Without a control group of isolated individuals (which is ethically impossible), we cannot definitively confirm this.

• Object relations theory supports this idea but lacks empirical proof.
• Identity formation is multifaceted, involving biological, psychological, and social factors.

5. Mothers and Fathers Are Equally Important in Development

Common Sense Claim: Both parents contribute equally to child development.
Scientific Reality: Mothers and fathers play unique, non-substitutable roles.

• Maternal roles involve specific biological and emotional contributions.
• Fathers contribute differently but cannot replace maternal functions.
• Social and cultural contexts influence these roles.

6. Parents Love All Children Equally and Parenting Is Always Fulfilling

Common Sense Claim: Parents love all their children the same and find parenting rewarding.
Scientific Reality: Studies show parents typically have a preferred or “golden child,” and parenting can be stressful and detrimental to health.

• The “golden child” phenomenon is universal, not pathological.
• Parenting is associated with increased stress and reduced lifespan.
• Emotional complexity in families defies simplistic common sense beliefs.

7. Men and Women Are Psychologically Fundamentally Different

Common Sense Claim: Men and women differ psychologically as much as biologically.
Scientific Reality: Biological differences are clear, but psychological differences are socially influenced and largely unknown in isolation.

• Socialization, culture, and expectations shape psychological traits.
• No conclusive studies exist isolating biological psychology from social factors.
• For example, male and female narcissists show identical psychological profiles; differences are culturally driven.

Additional Myths Challenged by Science

Social Contagion Explains Individual Choices

• Social contagion (imitating peers) is claimed to explain behaviors like transgenderism.
• If true, individual responsibility and accountability become meaningless.
• Psychology and psychiatry would lose validity, which contradicts evidence that individuals make autonomous choices.

Addiction Is a Brain Disease

• Popular belief holds addiction as a brain disorder beyond personal control.
• However, many addicts quit suddenly by choice, unlike typical diseases.
• Brain changes observed in addiction could be causes or effects; causality is unclear.
• This claim remains unproven scientifically and can be misleading.

The Scientific Method vs Common Sense

Science is not about what “makes sense” but what can be tested, verified, and replicated. It embraces complexity, uncertainty, and nuance. In contrast, common sense is often simplistic, biased, and premature.

• Multiple Hypotheses: Science explores many possibilities before zeroing in.
• Evidence-Based: Conclusions rely on hard data, not intuition.
• Replicability: Findings must be reproducible by independent researchers.
• Falsifiability: Scientific theories are constantly tested and can be disproven.

Conclusion: Embrace Science, Question Common Sense

The world is too complex for simple “common sense” explanations. Science offers a rigorous, humble approach to understanding psychology, behavior, and human development. Misconceptions propagated by self-styled experts and popular opinion often hinder progress and misinform public discourse.

By recognizing the limitations of intuition and emphasizing evidence and experimentation, we move closer to truth. Whether exploring narcissism, brain function, genetics, identity, parenting, gender, social influence, or addiction, science challenges us to question what “makes sense” and seek what can be demonstrated.

The next time you hear “this makes sense,” pause and ask: does it really? Or does science say otherwise?

References and Further Reading

• Sanvakning, Malignant Self-Love: Narcissism Revisited
• Replication Crisis in Psychology
• Epigenetics and Behavior
• Object Relations Theory
• Neuroscience Longitudinal Studies
• Parenting Stress and Health Outcomes
• Gender Psychology and Socialization Research
• Addiction Neuroscience Debates

FAQ

Q: Why is common sense unreliable?
A: Because it relies on limited experience and ignores the complexity and uncertainty inherent in reality.

Q: Can trauma cause narcissism?
A: Trauma may contribute, but genetics, brain factors, and environment also play roles; no single cause is established.

Q: Is addiction a brain disease?
A: Currently, evidence is inconclusive; addiction involves choices and free will, not just brain abnormalities.

Q: Are men and women psychologically different?
A: Biological differences exist, but psychological differences are heavily influenced by culture and socialization, and science is still exploring this.

Q: Why does science reject “this makes sense” as an argument?
A: Because scientific conclusions must be based on evidence and testing, not intuition or plausibility.

Embracing scientific inquiry over common sense myths leads to better understanding and more effective approaches in psychology and beyond.