<p><strong>Background:</strong> I have recently noticed that in class, that after I finished a unit, it seems less difficult than I expected it to be. It has happened in math, physics and electronics.</p>

<p>Is it possible that maybe those units were not even difficult in the first place? That it was just  a matter of perception and first judgement, where you think to yourself "Oh lord, this unit is gonna be hell," and the mind plays along with that all through?</p>

<p>Why do difficult-to-learn subjects seem easier in retrospect?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-17T15:59:08.507Z
I tried to narrow the question title down a bit, but I'm pretty sure the answer is that they "seem easier to comprehend" because you, er, just learned them.
Christian Hummeluhr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-18T17:00:58.517Z
@MaríaAnt Perfect, that's the kind of answer I was trying to accommodate in the first edit.
Christian Hummeluhr
<emotion><learning><metacognition><expertise>
Why do difficult-to-learn subjects seem easier in retrospect?
black endian
# Why do difficult-to-learn subjects seem easier in retrospect?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-17)

**Background:** I have recently noticed that in class, that after I finished a unit, it seems less difficult than I expected it to be. It has happened in math, physics and electronics.

Is it possible that maybe those units were not even difficult in the first place? That it was just a matter of perception and first judgement, where you think to yourself "Oh lord, this unit is gonna be hell," and the mind plays along with that all through?

Why do difficult-to-learn subjects seem easier in retrospect?

**Tags:** emotion, learning, metacognition, expertise

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I tried to narrow the question title down a bit, but I'm pretty sure the answer is that they "seem easier to comprehend" because you, er, just learned them.  
> **username_1**: @MaríaAnt Perfect, that's the kind of answer I was trying to accommodate in the first edit.  

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## 0 answers

