Centrality Preferences in Choices Among Similar Options

Three explanations were explored for the finding that people prefer the middle option rather than the extremes when choosing from an array of similar options. In Study 1, 68% chose the middle item from a set of three highlighters and three surveys, whereas 32% chose an item from either end, p < ....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The Journal of general psychology Vol. 127; no. 2; pp. 157 - 164
Main Authors:	Shaw, Jerry I., Bergen, Jon E., Brown, Chad A., Gallagher, Maureen E.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Taylor & Francis Group 01-04-2000 Journal Press, etc Taylor & Francis Inc
Subjects:	Adult Asymmetry Attention Backpacks Choice Behavior Cognition & reasoning College students Decision making Female Humans Hypotheses Male Mental Recall Preferences Psychology Symmetry
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	Three explanations were explored for the finding that people prefer the middle option rather than the extremes when choosing from an array of similar options. In Study 1, 68% chose the middle item from a set of three highlighters and three surveys, whereas 32% chose an item from either end, p < .0001. In Study 2, 71% selected the middle chair from a row of three chairs that were either all empty, or had a backpack occupying either one of the two end chairs, p < .0001. These results support a minimal mental effort principle rather than a preference for symmetry rule. In Study 3, 54.2% recalled more graphic items from the center poster of a 3-poster collage, whereas 31.3% and 14.5% recalled more items from the left and right posters, respectively, p < .004. These findings lend additional support to a focus of attention explanation.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0022-1309 1940-0888
DOI:	10.1080/00221300009598575