Do we prefer the things we see first, see last or the ones in the middle?

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Would I rather be the first person to be evaluated, or the last?

New research suggests both have their advantages, and either is far preferable than being stuck in the middle. That's the conclusion of a study of the effects of position order on preference, just published in the journal Psychological Science.

"We found that early items always have an advantage, and later items have an advantage in longer sequences, especially when the choosers are knowledgeable about the choice options," writes lead author Antonia Mantonakis, assistant professor of marketing at Brock University in Niagara, Canada.

If you're curious about how we choose I recommend checking out The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less and Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping.

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