The following demonstration takes about 4 minutes to complete. Don't get started on
it unless you have 3.5 minutes, and you can follow directions.
Pick a Number from 1 to 9 |
This demonstration won't work unless
you do what the box asks. When you
finish (in this case, picking a number from
1 to 9 and remember it) then click the
"social psychology" box below
.
Subtract
5 |
Continue. .
Multiple
by 3 |
Continue. .
Square the number (multiply by the same number--don't take the square root) |
Continue.
Add the digits until you get only one digit (for example, if your number is 63 then 6 + 3 equals 9. ) |
Continue.
If the number is less than 5, add five. Otherwise subtract 4.
|
Continue.
Multiply By 2
|
Continue.
Subtract 6
|
Continue.
Map the digit to a letter in the alphabet (1 = A, 2 = B, 3 = C, and so on) |
Continue.
Pick a name of a country that begins with that letter
|
Continue.
|
Take the second letter in the country name and think of a mammal that begins with that letter
|
Continue.
Think of the color of that mammal
|
Continue.
|
You have a Grey Elephant from Denmark
|
Continue.
| This demonstration of cogntive heuristics works best for people who are most familiar with European countries, for the load caused by doing the math pops the name Denmark into their heads most rapidly (instead of the Dominican Republic). And while people can, if they give it some time, think of an animal whose name starts with an E besides an Elephant (how about an Elk), Elephants are cognitively easier. |
