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To err is human, but we can prevent mistakes
By Wu Jiayin |
June 13, 2009, Saturday
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DURING my travel in Japan with my parents last year, I was attracted by a sign outside a shop selling socks, which read: 450 yen (US$4.60) for a pair of socks, 1,350 yen for three pairs.
Without hesitation, I bought three pairs, taking it for granted that I got the discount I would not have enjoyed had I bought one pair.
It was not until I paid, that my father whispered to me: "Doesn't three times 450 equal 1,350?"
I had been of the opinion that few people would have made the same silly mistake until I read the book "Why We Make Mistakes" by Joseph T. Hallinan, which says this was a common mistake.
People often attach or anchor their responses to specific numbers, even improbable ones, explains Hallinan. That's why store owners, by offering an item priced at "four for US$2," rather than 50 US cents each, can encourage people to buy more.
The book is an informative and intriguing exploration into some human characteristics that cause people to err. It offers tips to prevent errors.
One common mistake that aroused my interest is "looking but not seeing."
That is, people with normal eyesight sometimes simply don't see what is right in front of their eyes.
A few days ago I watched a BBC video about research on human vision. In one case, subjects were asked to watch a video in which two teams of basketball players were separately practicing throwing and catching basketballs.
Subjects were required to count the catches and tosses of one team, ignoring the other.
After playing the video, instead of asking the number, researchers asked the subjects if they had noticed something strange.
In fact, a man in the video was dressed like a chimpanzee and walked forward to face the screen. Yet very few subjects noticed it, as most were too concentrated on counting.
This illustrates Hallinan's conclusion: "What we see also depends, in part, on what is looked for. By and large, we see what we expect to see."
The reason is that people's eyes do not work like cameras taking exact pictures. Instead, they dart around, seeing bits and pieces. It is the brain that fills in the blanks, Hallinan explains.
The book provides a lot of "Aha!" experiences as many mistakes pointed out are so common that they are hardly noticed in daily life.
For example, right-handed people usually turn right when they enter a building, even if it isn't the right way.
For another, people generally overlook errors on a page they're reading, especially if they are familiar with the subject matter.
Hence Hallinan's observation: "As something becomes more familiar, we tend to notice less, not more. We come to things not as they are but as (we assume) they ought to be."
Identifying the traits and habits that cause people to make mistakes can help eliminate bias.
"If we don't know we've been biased, eliminating the mistakes that stem from that bias can become much more difficult," Hallinan emphasizes.
Based on his detailed analysis of human biases, Hallinan identifies overconfidence as a primary culprit.
This influences people to sign up for gym memberships they won't use, buy diet plans they won't stick to, and buy into financially harmful credit card promotions..
Advice to prevent mistakes: avoid multitasking, have another set of eyes to proofread, get more rest and maintain an even temper.
Without hesitation, I bought three pairs, taking it for granted that I got the discount I would not have enjoyed had I bought one pair.
It was not until I paid, that my father whispered to me: "Doesn't three times 450 equal 1,350?"
I had been of the opinion that few people would have made the same silly mistake until I read the book "Why We Make Mistakes" by Joseph T. Hallinan, which says this was a common mistake.
People often attach or anchor their responses to specific numbers, even improbable ones, explains Hallinan. That's why store owners, by offering an item priced at "four for US$2," rather than 50 US cents each, can encourage people to buy more.
The book is an informative and intriguing exploration into some human characteristics that cause people to err. It offers tips to prevent errors.
One common mistake that aroused my interest is "looking but not seeing."
That is, people with normal eyesight sometimes simply don't see what is right in front of their eyes.
A few days ago I watched a BBC video about research on human vision. In one case, subjects were asked to watch a video in which two teams of basketball players were separately practicing throwing and catching basketballs.
Subjects were required to count the catches and tosses of one team, ignoring the other.
After playing the video, instead of asking the number, researchers asked the subjects if they had noticed something strange.
In fact, a man in the video was dressed like a chimpanzee and walked forward to face the screen. Yet very few subjects noticed it, as most were too concentrated on counting.
This illustrates Hallinan's conclusion: "What we see also depends, in part, on what is looked for. By and large, we see what we expect to see."
The reason is that people's eyes do not work like cameras taking exact pictures. Instead, they dart around, seeing bits and pieces. It is the brain that fills in the blanks, Hallinan explains.
The book provides a lot of "Aha!" experiences as many mistakes pointed out are so common that they are hardly noticed in daily life.
For example, right-handed people usually turn right when they enter a building, even if it isn't the right way.
For another, people generally overlook errors on a page they're reading, especially if they are familiar with the subject matter.
Hence Hallinan's observation: "As something becomes more familiar, we tend to notice less, not more. We come to things not as they are but as (we assume) they ought to be."
Identifying the traits and habits that cause people to make mistakes can help eliminate bias.
"If we don't know we've been biased, eliminating the mistakes that stem from that bias can become much more difficult," Hallinan emphasizes.
Based on his detailed analysis of human biases, Hallinan identifies overconfidence as a primary culprit.
This influences people to sign up for gym memberships they won't use, buy diet plans they won't stick to, and buy into financially harmful credit card promotions..
Advice to prevent mistakes: avoid multitasking, have another set of eyes to proofread, get more rest and maintain an even temper.
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