An experiment with 2,520 participants backs Richard Feynman’s answer to every diner’s dilemma: do I want to try something new?
Original article: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2509612123
Or you could just order what you feel like eating at that moment in time.
Some days you want the comfort of something familiar that you enjoy.
Other days, you’re bored and want to try something new.
Some days you’re hungry and want something more substantial. Other days, not so much.
Although the participants did not work out the mathematical solution — which involves a formula with square roots — their behaviour was a very close approximation of it. “The fact that, even in this simplified setting, they still find that people behave in a quite consistent — and pretty effective — way is quite impressive,” says Choshen-Hillel.
The title states that he solved the dilemma, however the experiment is focused on how closely real life customers’ actions approximate the ‘formula with square roots’ (I mean it’s nature, you may publish a formula with roots).
So essentially it is a model? I’m not sure by trading this what it is that Feynman did. I’m interested in said mathematical solution.
Sadly the article never provides the answer.
Interesting but didn’t tell me what to order.
Yes it does; your favourite dish!
Unless you have a lot of time left. Then you can afford to try something new.
Very cool thanks!
log in or create an account to continue
Can be read there: http://archive.today/CM9G2





