Theory/Experimental Seminar - Florian Zimmermann (Bonn)

Abstract: For most decisions, we encounter relevant information over the course of days,months or years. We consume such information in various forms, including collections of data shown in numbers – statistics – and anecdotes about individual instances – stories. This paper proposes that the information type – story versusstatistic – shapes selective memory. In controlled experiments, we document a pronounced story-statistic gap in memory: the average impact of stories on beliefs fades by 33% over the course of a day, but by 73% for statistics. Consistent with a model of similarity and interference in memory, prompting contextual associations with statistics improves recall. A set of mechanism experiments reveals that lower similarity of stories to interfering information is a key force behind the story-statistic gap.

Location: Physics A1/3

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