Three Rules of the Road

Part three of notes from Daniel Gardner's Science of Fear

Gardner uses three rules to illustrate how fear impacts us, and how they are used to amplify fear.

The Anchoring Rule can be used to skew public opinion in surveys. The questioner can simply use any random question -- a high or low statistic or a dramatic fact or story -- and the carry over impact becomes the anchor. Talk about a high number, surveys will reflect higher guesses from study members. It can also be used to promote consumption. Put a sign on merchandise that says "limit 12 per customer" and more will be sold than if no sign were there.

The Rule of Typical Things is Gut latching on to plausible details in a story, and using them to solve problems.

Finally, The Example Rule is learning from your worst or most recent experiences and interpreting present events. The same hormones that flow during Fight or Flight response tend to amply and intensify memory. The Example Rule is biased based on how memory works.

From Gardner:
"Fear is certainly the most effective way of gluing a memory in place, but there are others. Any emotional content makes a memory stickier."