How irrational are we?
That's how we are!
How true are we as Indians?
We Made It - We Are Free!?!!
Are we a soft state?
M.S. DHONI AND THE IRRATIONAL MIND
It may sound counterfactual .But it is true that man is an irrational being.
M.S. DHONI AND THE IRRATIONAL MIND
All our claims to the contrary notwithstanding we have to admit that many of us buy a brand in preference to another for reasons unconnected with a rational evaluation of the brand .Factors like our favourite actor has endorsed it, that it is packaged better , that it was placed more strategically in the shop tend to influence us. Taking advantage of this irrationality in human thinking a consultancy firm in India comes up with innovative solutions to problems.
Surprisingly it is a government organisation that approached this consultancy.
The Suburban railway in Mumbai approached this firm to solving a ghastly problem that bedevils them every hour—death of people crossing the railway tracks. The Wadala station was the setting of the innovative ideas of this consultancy.
They started of on a well researched set of ideas.
The first innovation was to get the rail tracks painted in a noticeable manner. Thus a given stretch of the track was painted yellow alternating with an unpainted stretch .The ‘ reason ‘ was what is called the Leibowitz hypothesis. This states that most people underestimate the speed of a moving object mainly because there may not be a frame of reference. The alternate colours provide this frame with the help of which one can guage the speed of the oncoming train and thereby avoid being run over.
The second idea was to put up graphics at vantage points that showed extreme close ups of the horror struck face of a man being plowed down by a train. This is in contrast to the staid graphic of a skull or a signboard stating ‘ DANGER’ blandly. The theory backed by research is that stirring up emotional memory through pictures is most effective –far more than texts.
The third idea was to get train drivers to blow the whistle in two short sharp blasts rather than one long whistle. The research indicated that the human mind is most alert during the short silence between 2 musical notes. This silence sets up an expectation in our minds and we tend to be very alert.
The results are measurably good . I am afraid not much publicity has been given to this experiment in the Indian media. I read this in an American paper. The article was written by author S .Subramaniam .
I write this in order to let readers know of the fine work that some of our people are doing. It is a sad commentary on our celebrity obsessed media that unless Dhoni endorses this consultancy few will hear of it.
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
