Nearly eighty years of research on answer changing shows…
““Nearly eighty years of research on answer changing shows that most answer changes are from wrong to right, and that most people who change their answers usually improve their test scores. One comprehensive review examined thirty-three studies of answer changing; in not one were test takers hurt, on average, by changing their answers. And yet, even after students are told of these results, they still tend to stick with their first answers. Investors, by the way, show the same tendencies when it comes to stocks. Even after learning that their reason for picking a stock might be wrong, they still tended to stick with their initial choice 70 percent of the time.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People often cling to initial decisions despite evidence that changing answers improves outcomes, a bias seen in tests and investing.
In simple terms: People stick to first choices even when changing would help.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions; be open to revising decisions.
Themes
cognitive bias
decision making
learning
investment
education
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
non‑fiction
motivational
When to use this quote
- exams
- stock market
- business strategy
- personal finance
Key Concepts
confirmation bias
overconfidence
risk aversion
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would make you reconsider a first decision?
- How can you create habits that encourage reassessment?
A Different Perspective
Changing choices can feel risky and may be socially discouraged.