A woman sleeping (© Drobot Dean – stock.adobe.com)
DURHAM, N.C. — We’ve all heard the adage “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but let’s face it – many do it anyway. From job interviews to first dates, initial impressions often color our perceptions. But what if a good night’s sleep could help us see beyond that shiny dust jacket? A study from Duke University suggests that when it comes to making balanced judgments, sometimes it’s best to literally sleep on it.
In a series of clever experiments published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, researchers Alyssa H. Sinclair, Yuxi C. Wang, and R. Alison Adcock set out to tackle an age-old question: Is it better to start strong with a good first impression, or end on a high note? Their findings not only challenge conventional wisdom but also offer intriguing insights into how our brains process and remember rewarding experiences.
The study centered around a virtual “garage sale” task, where participants rummaged through digital boxes filled with household items of varying value. Unbeknownst to the bargain hunters, each box contained the same total value of goods. The catch? The distribution of high-value items – the hidden gems among the junk – varied from box to box.
When asked to evaluate the boxes immediately after the task, participants consistently favored and overvalued boxes with valuable items at the top. This “primacy effect” persisted even when researchers tweaked various factors, such as whether participants actively chose the boxes or passively viewed them.
“We found that people are strongly biased by first impressions,” notes lead author Allie Sinclair, who conducted the research as part of her Ph.D. in Dr. Adcock’s lab, in a media release.
This bias was so strong that participants not only preferred boxes that “started strong” but also estimated their value to be about 10% higher than reality.
Here’s where things get interesting: When participants were asked about their preferences after a day’s delay, the story changed dramatically. Boxes with clusters of high-value items were equally preferred, regardless of whether these treasures appeared at the beginning, middle, or end of the sequence.
“They made more rational choices, equally favoring boxes with clusters of valuable items at the beginning, middle, or end,” Sinclair explains.
This shift suggests that our brains process and consolidate memories of rewarding experiences differently over time, potentially leading to more balanced decision-making.
The implications of this research extend far beyond virtual garage sales. Consider the business world, where first impressions often reign supreme. A job candidate who starts strong might overshadow equally qualified competitors in an interviewer’s immediate recollection. However, if that interviewer sleeps on it before making a decision, they might develop a more nuanced view, considering standout moments from throughout each interview.
Or think about the restaurant industry, where immediate post-meal reviews can make or break an establishment. A diner’s glowing review based on an excellent appetizer might not reflect the overall quality of the meal. But when deciding whether to return weeks later, that same diner might weigh memorable dishes from any part of the dining experience equally.
Intriguingly, the study also found that the act of evaluating an experience immediately seemed to cement the primacy bias. When participants were asked about some boxes right away and others after a delay, they maintained their preference for “early reward” boxes even after sleeping on it. This suggests that the process of recalling and evaluating an experience shortly afterward can lead to a lasting bias in favor of first impressions.
“This is an exciting first look at how our brains summarize a rewarding experience. When it’s over, our brain knits it all together in memory to help us make better choices — and that neat trick happens overnight,” Dr. Adcock explains.
These findings challenge several established theories in psychology and neuroscience, contradicting ideas that recent experiences or “peak-end” moments dominate our preferences. Instead, they paint a more nuanced picture: our immediate preferences are strongly influenced by first impressions, but given time for memory consolidation, we develop more balanced preferences based on the overall density of positive experiences.
So, the next time you’re faced with a big decision, consider taking a page from Sleeping Beauty’s book. A good night’s rest might just be the magic spell you need to see beyond first impressions and make choices that truly reflect your values and preferences.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The researchers conducted nine studies with a total of 569 participants recruited online. In the main task, participants engaged in a virtual “garage sale” where they opened boxes containing 20 objects, each with an associated value. The key manipulation was the distribution of high-value objects within each box: some had clusters at the beginning, some at the end, some in the middle, and some had high-value objects evenly distributed. Participants’ preferences, value estimations, and memory for objects were tested either immediately after the task or after a one-day delay.
Key Results
When tested immediately, participants consistently preferred and overvalued boxes with high-value items at the beginning. However, when tested after a one-day delay, participants showed equal preference for boxes with clusters of high-value items, regardless of where these clusters occurred in the sequence. Interestingly, if participants evaluated some boxes immediately, this led to a lasting bias in favor of boxes with early high-value items, even when tested on different boxes after a delay.
Study Limitations
The study primarily used online participants from the United States, which may limit generalizability to other populations. The artificial nature of the “garage sale” task, while allowing for precise control, may not fully capture the complexity of real-world experiences. Additionally, memory performance for objects was relatively poor in delayed tests, which could have influenced the results.
Discussion & Takeaways
The researchers propose that early rewards bias short-term preferences by associating value with the broader context rather than specific details. Over time, clusters of rewards may prioritize memories for replay and consolidation, leading to more balanced long-term preferences. This research challenges existing theories about how we summarize experiences and make decisions, suggesting a more nuanced, time-dependent process. The findings have potential implications for fields ranging from consumer behavior to social psychology, highlighting the importance of considering timing in evaluation and decision-making processes.
Funding & Disclosures
The study was funded by a Duke University Duke Health Scholars Award to R. Alison Adcock. The researchers reported no conflicts of interest.
