Order in choice: effects of serial position on preferences

Psychol Sci. 2009 Nov;20(11):1309-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02453.x. Epub 2009 Oct 14.

Abstract

When several choice options are sampled one at a time in a sequence and a single choice of the best option is made at the end of the sequence, which location in the sequence is chosen most often? We report a large-scale experiment that assessed tasting preferences in choice sets of two, three, four, or five wines. We found a large primacy effect-the first wine had a large advantage in the end-of-sequence choice. We also found that participants who were knowledgeable about wines showed a recency effect in the longer sequences. We conclude with a process model that explains our findings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Attention*
  • Choice Behavior*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory, Short-Term*
  • Middle Aged
  • Probability Theory
  • Serial Learning*
  • Taste
  • Wine
  • Young Adult