“SANDWICH”. This story by Ollie Gillman in the Daily Mail for February 10 provides a timely example of Professor Nisbett’s theory that “…minimal cues, which ought to have no part in determining your behavior, do have an impact.” An WNBC host, Chris Hayes, reporting on the results of the February 9 New Hampshire primary referred to the Democratic New Hampshire winner Senator Bernie Sanders as “Bernie Sandwiches”.
The host responded on Twitter by identifying the minimal cue which had an impact on his behavior: “In my defense I was literally watching people being served dinner when I said Bernie Sandwiches.”
You could think of this as another experiment testing the theory that Professor Nisbett discussed and I posted on yesterday—with a sample of one.