7 in 10 people chose the option that hurt for 30 seconds longer
Kahneman, Fredrickson, Schreiber & Redelmeier · Psychological Science, 1993
01The result
People put one hand in very cold water for 60 seconds. Then they put the other hand in for 90 seconds. In the last 30 seconds, the water got a little warmer. Asked which one to do again, about 7 in 10 chose the longer one.
02Why it happens
We do not remember every second of pain. Memory keeps the worst moment and the last moment. Both tests had the same worst moment. The long one had a softer end, so it felt better looking back.
03Not just cold water
Doctors tried the same idea with a colonoscopy, a long test of the gut. For some patients, they left the tool in for three more minutes at the end. It was uncomfortable, not painful. These patients remembered the test as less bad. More of them came back for the next one.
04What it means
The end of a trip, a date, or a hard day sticks with us. That is why people like to end on a high note.
05Limitations
The first study was a small lab test with cold water. Later studies found it does not work for every experience, like long hotel stays.
Original paper
- Kahneman, Fredrickson, Schreiber & Redelmeier (1993), Psychological Science, doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.1993.tb00589.x
- doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1993.tb00589.x
Also checked
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak%E2%80%93end_rule
- https://mindhacks.com/2013/05/28/why-you-might-prefer-more-pain/
- https://www.issoh.co.jp/md/column/8736
HOLT NEWS read the paper and public materials and explained them in plain words. Illustrations by HOLT NEWS.
