Grandes números fazem diferença

Qual a sua preferência: 5 reais ou 500 centavos? Pense bem.

Racionalmente as pessoas seriam indiferentes, mas pesquisadores descobriram que existe uma grande chance da escolha de 500 centavos prevalecer sobre 5 reais.
A conclusão chegou após as pessoas serem submetidas ao famoso dilema do prisioneiro. Neste problema da teoria dos jogos a tendência é a longo prazo existir cooperação entre as pessoas.

When the reward for cooperation was increased to 300 cents from 3 cents, the researchers found, the level of cooperation went up. But when the reward went from 3 cents to $3, it did not.

While the test measured how bigger numbers increased cooperation, the lesson is also likely to apply to enticements to people to defect, Dr. Opfer said.
The findings are in keeping with studies on how the brain handles calculations involving quantity. Studies have found that people tend to overestimate differences between small quantities and underestimate differences between large ones.

Fonte: Behavior: $1? No Thanks. 100 Cents? You Bet, ERIC NAGOURNEY, New York Times