In the book Predictably Irrational Dan Ariely explains how relativity is used to manipulate people. Comparing things is in our nature and we are actually better in estimating relations (an apple is bigger than an apricot) than absolute numbers (this apple is 6.43 cm big).
However this great ability can also be taken against us. Imaging you have to choose the destination for your next holiday:
- Paris (without breakfast)
- Rome (without breakfast)
- Rome (with breakfast)
Chances are very high that your next trip will go to Rome, as it is easier for us to compare the two Rome options than Rome to Paris. Another example that was used in the book:
An Economist online subscription:
- Internet-only subscription 59$
- Print-only subscription 129$
- Print-and-Internet subscription 129$
Through his experiments he found out, that the mere presence of the Print-only option is enough to make people choose the Print-and-Internet subscription. When he did a second run without the Print-only option the Internet-only subscription was chosen by 68%.
As in the example above we automatically tend to compare two similar options, even though it objectively might not even be the best choice.
P.S. I’d love to talk to you on Twitter: here.
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P.S. I’d love to talk to you on Twitter: here.
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