Weighty data: importance information influences estimated weight of digital information storage devices

Frontiers in Psychology

Iris K. Schneider¹ 

关键词: weight;    embodiment;    importance;    digital data;    judgment;    relevance;    metaphor;    social cognition;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01536

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Previous work suggests that perceived importance of an object influences estimates of its weight. Specifically, important books were estimated to be heavier than non-important books. However, the experimental set-up of these studies may have suffered from a potential confound and findings may be confined to books only. Addressing this, we investigate the effect of importance on weight estimates by examining whether the importance of information stored on a data storage device (USB-stick or portable hard drive) can alter weight estimates. Results show that people thinking a USB-stick holds important tax information (vs. expired tax information vs. no information) estimate it to be heavier (Experiment 1) compared to people who do not. Similarly, people who are told a portable hard drive holds personally relevant information (vs. irrelevant), also estimate the drive to be heavier (Experiments 2A,B).

【 授权许可】

CC BY