Height order? Of course, one can argue that tall people have better genes and hence more resources and are not in a hurry to grab scarce resources before they end.
On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 8:49 PM, Deepak S <[email protected]> wrote: > An excellent study. > > I know my in my school roll call was by first names so the 'Deepak' > overruled the 'Srinivasan' > > In any case ... read on > > > * > > Can't wait to shop? Blame your surname, says study > > ***2011-01-20 09:34:48 > > Washington: Why do some people wait patiently to buy stuff while others > rush to grab it? > > The answer lies in your surname, according to a new study. > > It found that the first letter of our last names determines how quickly we > act on consumer opportunities as grownups. > > "The tendency to act quickly to acquire items such as those above is > related to the first letter of one's childhood surname," said Kurt A. > Carlson of Georgetown University and Jacqueline M. Conard of Belmont > University. > > While looking at how quickly adults responded to opportunities to acquire > 'items of value', they found that individuals were faster or slower to > respond depending on where their last names fell in the alphabet. > > Those with surnames that started with letters at the beginning of the > alphabet were slower, while those whose surnames started with letters later > in the alphabet were faster. > > So why do the Abbotts wait, while the Zimmermans rush to buy? The > researchers believe that it is because children with surnames near the end > of the alphabet have spent their lives at the end of lines and at the back > of classrooms. > > "The idea holds that children develop time-dependent responses based on the > treatment they receive," they said. > > "In an effort to account for these inequities, children late in the > alphabet will move quickly when last name isn't a factor; they will 'buy > early," they added. > > Likewise, those with last names early in the alphabet will be so accustomed > to being first that that individual opportunities to make a purchase won't > matter very much; they will 'buy late'," they said. > > The researchers also said that the 'last-name effect' occurred only with > childhood surnames, not names that had changed due to marriage. > > The study is published in the Journal of Consumer Research. > > > >
