Are There Really Wasps in Figs? Plus: People Like Round Numbers Even When They’re Bad

Learn about why people prefer round numbers over precise ones, thanks to a principle behavioral economists call attribute framing; and whether there really are wasps inside figs.

People prefer round numbers even when the precise number is better news by Kelsey Donk

• Consumers Prefer Round Numbers Even When the Specific Number Is Better News. (2016). Rpi.edu. https://news.rpi.edu/content/2020/07/06/consumers-prefer-round-numbers-even-when-specific-number-better-news
• Jain, G., Gaeth, G. J., Nayakankuppam, D., & Levin, I. P. (2020). Revisiting attribute framing: The impact of number roundedness on framing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 161, 109–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.04.006

Are there really wasps inside figs? by Cameron Duke

• Cook, J. M., & West, S. A. (2005). Figs and fig wasps. Current Biology, 15(24), R978–R980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2005.11.057
• Futuyma, D. J., & Kirkpatrick, M. (2018). Evolution. Sinauer Associates.
• Herre, E. A. (1996). An Overview of Studies on a Community of Panamanian Figs. Journal of Biogeography, 23(4), 593–607. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2845802?seq=1
• Jordan, A. (2014, November 11). How mutualisms evolve in a world of selfish genes. Phys.Org; Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2014-11-mutualisms-evolve-world-selfish-genes.html
• Vartan, S. (2016). Are There Really Dead Wasps in Your Figs? Treehugger. https://www.treehugger.com/are-there-really-wasps-your-figs-4868822

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