This chapter explores the influence of tradition in decision-making through the lens of cultural practices and Darwinian principles. It highlights the psychological concept of status quo bias, illustrating how people often cling to familiar choices instead of embracing change, as discussed through a coin flip experiment.
Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told you to? And how do you get an entire country to drive on the other side of the road?
- SOURCES:
- Christian Crandall, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas.
- Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio and co-author of the Freakonomics books.
- Scott Eidelman, professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas.
- David Hume, 18th century Scottish philosopher.
- Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University.
- Steve Levitt, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, and co-author of the Freakonomics books.
- John McWhorter, professor of linguistics, English, and comparative literature at Columbia University.
- Mark Twain, 19-20th century American writer.
- RESOURCES:
- "What Countries Use the Imperial System?" by William Harris and Sascha Bos (HowStuffWorks, 2023).
- "UK Quietly Drops Brexit Law to Return to Imperial Measurements," by George Parker (Financial Times, 2023).
- "Heads or Tails: The Impact of a Coin Toss on Major Life Decisions and Subsequent Happiness," by Steven D. Levitt (The Review of Economic Studies, 2021).
- "A ‘Thrilling’ Mission to Get the Swedish to Change Overnight," by Maddy Savage (BBC, 2018).
- "Why We Can’t Quit the QWERTY Keyboard," by Rachel Metz (MIT Technology Review, 2018).
- "Why Americans Still Use Fahrenheit Long After Everyone Else Switched to Celsius," by Zack Beauchamp (Vox, 2015).
- "The Intuitive Traditionalist: How Biases for Existence and Longevity Promote the Status Quo," by Scott Eidelman and Christian Crandall (Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2014).
- "What Scientific Concept Would Improve Everybody's Cognitive Toolkit?" (Edge, 2011).
- "Mars Probe Lost Due to Simple Math Error," by Robert Lee Hotz (Los Angeles Times, 1999).
