Which would you choose, 60 seconds of pain or 60 seconds of pain plus 30 seconds of discomfort? It would seem that the first option is preferable.
However, if you tried both of them, you would be surprised …
As with many studies on cognitive biases, we have to thank psychologist Daniel Kahneman for his work on the last impression rule. In 1993, he and colleagues Barbara Fredrickson, Charles Schreiber and Donald Redelmeier published a psychology paper with the intriguing title When Severe Pain Is Better Than Weak Pain.
During the study, they asked volunteers to immerse their hand in water chilled to 14 degrees for 60 seconds. Then the participants were asked to do the same with the second hand, but this time the time was increased by 30 seconds, during which the water was heated to 15 degrees. At the end, participants were asked which experience they would prefer for the third experiment. Most chose the second option, although technically they had to endure more pain in this case than in the first. The difference was that they felt significantly less pain in the end.
Kahneman and his colleagues have tested their hypothesis over and over again by observing various situations where people may experience pain or discomfort. And we have seen the same effect over and over: if people were asked to rate their experience in retrospect, the outcome of the assessment could be predicted using a combination of the overall level of discomfort and the level of discomfort at the end of the experiment. It didn't matter how long the experience lasted, for the most part people remembered how painful it was in the finale.
More recent research suggests that this rule holds true for positive experiences as well. People rated getting one good gift for free (a popular DVD or chocolate bar) higher than getting two gifts like that accompanied by one less good gift (a second-rate DVD or regular gum).
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How can you use the last impression rule to your advantage?
By being aware of this cognitive bias, you can hack your future experiences. According to Susan Krauss Whitborne, PhD in Psychology, there are three things to remember.
- First, when faced with a negative experience, focus on its ultimate goal. For example, when placing a dental filling, think about how pleasant it will be to eat without pain.
Second, don't let a little discomfort ruin a good experience. If during a romantic dinner the waiter forgot to bring you a glass of water, do not think about it, but concentrate on communicating with your loved one.
Here's a life situation. Try to end the experience on a high note. Is it worth staying until the very end of the concert and listening to an encore, then leaving the parking lot for an hour? If not, skip the last song, and then you will remember the concert in the most positive light.