Research Hit: Sleeping on it to Make Better Decisions
New research shows that when you do sleep on it, you remove bias in decision making
Sleeping on it is always good advice!
Indeed, there are multiple reasons such as removing impulsivity and those rash in-the-moment decisions. Also for creativity we know that the brain can consolidate and work through problems.
But this research I am reporting on by Alyssa Sinclair et al. of Duke University looked at a very specific bias - namely primacy bias.
What is primacy bias?
This is the “first impressions count” bias i.e. that information presented first is given greater weight in our brains.
And this does exist right?
Yes, previous research has shown it does indeed exist - and the researchers came up with a novel way to test this, which I thought was cool.
Oh, how then?
Through a garage sale experiment!
A garage sale experiment?
Yes, I found it amusing and innovative as well - I sometimes love the ways researchers come up with to explore different topics. Not only that but participants also did this virtually!
Participants opened virtual boxes from a “garage sale” with 20 items in it. But these items were sorted in different ways. The most valuable items on top. The primacy bias scenario. The most valuable items at the bottom, the recency bias scenario. And with all items equally mixed.
Participants looked through various boxes and were then asked to choose which they thought was the most valuable box - they earned real cash for this so were motivated to do this well.
And what happened then?
Well, as predicted participants consistently chose those had the most valuable items at the top of the box, primacy bias at play. But some participants were asked to make the choice the next day, after sleeping on it, and this was the interesting bit.
Yes, indeed, I can imagine what the result was but tell me!
Well, yes those who slept on it were no longer influenced by this primacy bias. They chose boxes mixed in different ways.
Why?
Well, we don’t know the precise brain mechanisms but we do know that the brain consolidates memories during sleep and this consolidation seems to be balancing and removing short-term biases. So it is much better for long-term or important decisions.
So sleep on important decisions
Absolutely!
Reference
Alyssa H. Sinclair, Yuxi C. Wang, R. Alison Adcock.
First impressions or good endings? Preferences depend on when you ask
Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 2024
DOI: 10.1037/xge0001638