taste-test

 
DIRECTIONS: Take no more than ten seconds to scan these coats and then select the best coat.
After ten seconds, scroll to the bottom of the page to find out how you made your decision.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
now scroll to the bottom
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The coats are of mixed monetary value -- but which one did you pick? Probably the one on the far right ... unless you read right-to-left as with Japanese. This test is similar to that carried out by Timothy Wilson and Richard Nisbett from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. They laid out four identical items of clothing and got respondents to pick the best. When provided with no other choice criteria, respondents tended to prefer the rightmost in the sequence. Indeed, 4 out of 5 picked the garment to the right. When asked why, respondents discussed its weave, colour and texture. The results suggest that our decisions may be made subconsciously, however we rationalise them in our consciousness through confabulation.