How much is 6 times 8? Now, name a vegetable


A reader provides me with more evidence on the inefficiency of the human mind's random object generator.

Ask someone to perform some simple mental arithmetic (how much is 16+25? How much is 48 divided by four?) and then ask them to name a vegetable.

I've tried this on seven people so far today, and the answer was always the same: 'carrot'.



by datacharmer | Tuesday, May 22, 2007
  | | How much is 6 times 8? Now, name a vegetable @bluematterblogtwitter

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous Says: 03/06/2007, 00:04  

    Hi,
    I tested this on my husband just now. And his answer was "carrot". Is there any reason why?

  2. datacharmer Says: 03/06/2007, 00:16  

    Hi Michelle

    No idea! It just seems to work on everyone.

  3. Helena de Groot Says: 25/07/2007, 12:34  

    I think it's an example of 'prototype theory', where a carrot is just the most 'typical' vegetable in our culture, just as 7 or 3 is the most typical random number, or a chair the most typical piece of furniture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype_Theory

  4. Anonymous Says: 10/03/2008, 05:31  

    My dad said Rutabaga.

  5. Ben Says: 03/01/2010, 21:41  

    I said "broccoli"

  6. Anonymous Says: 05/05/2011, 15:09  

    my co-worker said Pizza.

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