Other quirkiness reported by Wiseman includes why there are a disproportionate number of marine biologists called Dr. Fish (names do matter, it turns out); the best wording of a donation solicitation (adding “even a penny helps” doubles the giving rate); superior pickup lines (not boring, such as “Do you come here often?” but silly, such as “If you were a pizza topping, what would you be?”); the most effective personal ads (a 70 to 30 ratio between “this is me” and “this is what I’m looking for”); and the world’s funniest joke: “Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses...,” which I’ll finish next month, when I explain what weirdonomics and quirkology reveal about how science actually works.

This article was originally published with the title Weirdonomics and Quirkology.

2 Comments

1. 1. CarcinoGenny 11:24 PM 4/6/08

   My question about the "Q" test is whether or not there is a difference if it's in person or someone does it after reading the question on paper. I think if there was someone asking me the resulting behavior might be altered than if I (like I did) read it in the magazine by myself. And even added subtler things like having just LOOKED at a "Q" in print.
   Have those parameters been accounted for?
   Thanks for your work,
   Meli

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2. 2. CarcinoGenny 05:08 AM 4/7/08

   so....buy the book is your answer. thanks for the lively discussion.
   :^)

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