A recent study conducted by scientists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, USA, has found that people tend to prefer rounded numbers over exact ones. The study, titled “Revisiting Attribute Framing: The Impact of Number Roundedness on Framing,” examined how people make decisions based on the way information is presented to them. The researchers discovered that many individuals find numbers with decimal points confusing and tend to misjudge their value.
The study involved six datasets with over 1,500 participants, and the researchers analyzed how the perception of the subjects would change if information with decimal points was used instead of rounded numbers. The results showed that people find non-rounded numbers irritating and tend to pay more attention to them. The researchers used eye-tracking technology to determine that participants paid more attention to the exotic number 81.36 than the familiar number 80.
The researchers also found that people tend to compare small numbers, such as 6.54%, to zero and larger numbers, such as 91.34%, to 100%. The study’s lead author, Gaurav Jain, warns that this preference for rounded numbers could have significant implications in public health communication. Managers and officials should be cautious when using numbers with decimal points in their communications, as it could influence the subjective evaluations of the recipients.
In conclusion, the study suggests that people tend to prefer rounded numbers over exact ones, and non-rounded numbers can be confusing and irritating. The researchers recommend that public health officials and managers should be careful when using numbers with decimal points in their communications. The study’s findings could have significant implications for how information is presented to the public in various fields.
