Study Finds Perception of Player Size Influenced By Number

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

This is interesting and from my subjective experience, true.

Dressed to the 10s: Small numbers seen as slim

A peer-reviewed study by UCLA researchers found that perception can be influenced by the associations made between numbers and size: The smaller the number, the more likely the subject was to perceive a slimmer player.

www.espn.com

 

[Clonamery]

My factual study (at no cost to any University): I used to be a 30 waist and now I'm a 31 and I am definitely larger.

 

[Ring 6]

It’s remarkable that we waste money on something like that when there are so many better things to spend it on.

 

[IcyPatriot]

My wife says I am #1 .... but it is not helping the 10 lbs I am trying to lose.

 

[Clonamery]

My wife says I am #1 .... but it is not helping the 10 lbs I am trying to lose.

In real terms I'm usually #2.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

It’s remarkable that we waste money on something like that when there are so many better things to spend it on.

Yeah we should be using UCLA’s budget and resources for other things rather than allowing their cognitive behavioral psychologists use it for their selected cognitive behavioral studies.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Numbers are always a big deal to players. If you’ve ever played competitive sports in life, kids would try to claim numbers first mostly due to an athlete they liked.

During his career, I’ve always wondered why Keyshawn Johnson got away with wearing 19? He found a loophole in the rules where no number was available in the 80’s his rookie year until the season started, but he was able to keep 19 if he wanted to.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Is #11 the smallest perception???

 

[Chevy]

It’s remarkable that we waste money on something like that when there are so many better things to spend it on.

On the surface, I would agree. However, if this was a student led research effort then the cost was minimal and the learning process was worth something. Also, it reveals another of the many facets of perception and thought processes, so there is some value there as well.

 

[Clonamery]

Is #11 the smallest perception???

Hmm....numerically it is #0 but lyrically (loneliest) and optically it is #1. #11 is legendary so does not have the smallest perception.

 

[VrabelJr]

Can a kick returner wear #69 yet?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

So you’re telling me all this time i just had to write a stupid # on my shirt…

 

[Kontradiction]

Memory probably also plays a part in how you perceive size. You ever seen a dude that you haven’t seen in a while, and thought was bigger than he was? But, when you see him, he’s smaller than you remember and you can aggressively clap his cheeks assert dominance with a firm handshake.

 

[Horace's Ivories]

I've been thinking Judon on the Pats was smaller than I recall. Now I understand why..

 

[rkarp1]

l always wore a specific number for luck, not size

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Memory probably also plays a part in how you perceive size. You ever seen a dude that you haven’t seen in a while, and thought was bigger than he was? But, when you see him, he’s smaller than you remember and you can aggressively clap his cheeks assert dominance with a firm handshake.

Agree and also the celebrity effect. When you hear a lot about someone or see them on tv (even if you know intellectually they are a normally sized person) you still get that weird cognitive shock when you them in person.

 

[Sicilian]

It’s remarkable that we waste money on something like that when there are so many better things to spend it on.

I don't think this study was done to specifically prove a bias about football numbers. It was done to further test a hypothesis about human psychology.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think this study was done to specifically prove a bias about football numbers. It was done to further test a hypothesis about human psychology.

What hypothesis is proven by showing people associate traditional football numbers with the size of the position that wears them?

 

[Patsfan1958]

I can see what you mean . Look at Vince Wilfork!! He only looks big when he's wearing #75



When he's not in uniform:

 

[Sicilian]

What hypothesis is proven by showing people associate traditional football numbers with the size of the position that wears them?

I'm not a psychologist, but a quick google search found this:

Anchoring - The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias whereby an individual's decisions are influenced by a particular reference point or "anchor".[1] Both numeric and non-numeric anchoring have been reported in research.[2] In numeric anchoring, once the value of the anchor is set, subsequent arguments, estimates, etc. made by an individual may change from what they would have otherwise been without the anchor.

In this case, the players number would be the "anchor", and the bias would be believing the size of the player was somehow attributed to the number he was wearing.

But regardless of the actual reason for the study, do you really think there is no possible benefit to this kind of research just because YOU don't know what the underlying purpose was?