A Psychology Question

[Misson]

I was just reading about this and thought it was sort of interesting. I guess I will explain further after people get tired of answering the question. With no further information forthcoming, no matter how relevant it may seem to your decision, what would you answer in response to the following question:

Suppose you pay $50 for a theater ticket but you lose the ticket on the way in -- will you return to the ticket window and buy another ticket if you have a $50 bill in your pocket?

[Red Cat Jenny]

Depends on the show....and what else I had in my pocket.

But not likely unless it was a once in a lifetime type thing. I'd be thinking $50 ticket...$50 shoes... $ 50 gas....

[MadL]

$50 for a ticket?!!? Thar best be Pirates and a Dinner fer that kind o' loot!!

Depends on what kind o' establishment it be, a movie theater I would just sneak in the back, all pyraty like, then af'r the show I would return ta the ticket booth and demand me money back fer it be the worst show ever an' neigh even had a single pirate in it! Now if'in it was one o' those ballet dancin shows then no way, I would chalk it up ta 'good luck' an' head ta the nearest pub for ta put that oth'r $50 to Good use! But if'in it was for Pirates and a Dinner then I just go out ta me car, put me garb on, and return ta the rear stage entrance and apologize fer bein' late. An' on the oth'r hand, if'in it be fer PirateCon2008 then Hell Yes....cuz if'in I could go then thar be No Way I would miss out on gettin in!!!!

[Red Bess]

Hmmm, depends on how far "in" I was. If I thought I could get seated without it I might try. But most likely, I would spend the entire performance looking around the lobby for my lost ticket.

If I had $50 for a theater ticket, it would have to be a pretty special show. If I had another $50 in my pocket, that $50 would be for drinks afterwards and I would have a hard time parting with it.

[Black Syren]

I'd look for my ticket first and since I already shelled out the money the first time at 50.00 it must be something I truly wish to see so Aye I would purchase another ticket..

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

No. I would count my losses at the first ticket and consider it a sign the show was crap and Kharma was doing me a favor. then I would take the other fifty and get a good meal, bottle of rum, and have my own show.

Bo

[Capt. Sterling]

I'd show them my receipt instead.

[MadL]

then I would take the other fifty and get a good meal, bottle of rum, and have my own show.

Bo

Thank Neptune we be on the open sea, fer anywhere else and that just might get ye tossed in iron an' strung up!!

[Red Cat Jenny]

How about taking the other 50 and dropping it in a crowd then accusing someone of taking it and pick pockets while they all point fingers and argue?

[Christine]

I'd show them my receipt instead.

Yeah, I agree! You'd have a receipt for the ticket so if you lost the ticket you'd be able to get another one.

[Misson]

You guys are thinking about this too much. I said there was no more info forthcoming, so you're imagining it for yourselves.

I give. There is a second question, which is "If you had two fifties in your pocket on the way to the theatre and you lost one on the way, would you then purchase a ticket?

The vast majority of the people who responded to the first question about losing the ticket in the actual study (and me included when I went with my first reaction) said no, they wouldn't. Most people responding to the second about losing the money said yes, they would. (Me as well.)

What was interesting about all this was that, in actual terms, there was no difference between the two. The only real difference was that the response to the first case included a history with the ticket and most people used this as a starting point and decided not to "add good money to lost money." The response to the second question had no such history and so most people were happy to go ahead and buy the first ticket.

Curiously, this all reminds me of Chaos Theory which says that initial states have dramatic impact on the progress of systems over time. There are dozens of experiments whose results I have read about (and probably hundreds or even thousands that I haven't) on this and the results almost always lean the same way. I think that's sort of fascinating.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

then I would take the other fifty and get a good meal, bottle of rum, and have my own show.

Bo

Thank Neptune we be on the open sea, fer anywhere else and that just might get ye tossed in iron an' strung up!!

There were a couple of unfortunates who attempted this once. No one has seen them since...

Bo