You Go First

In an extensive study of how viewers judge American Idol and its international variants, researchers concluded that contestants are rated higher if they go last than if they go first. Theories:

It may have something to do with the effect that preceding performers had on assessments of later contestants. Or later performers might just fare better because their effort is fresher in the judge’s mind. Of course, it could be a combination of the two.

We see this phenomenon in the Academy Awards, where it is the rare film that is released early in the year and wins the Oscar. As a hiring manager, I have learned to take good notes when interviewing candidates in order to give the earlier ones a fair shake.

And let us not forget the effect on the performers themselves. Whether the contest is singing or poker (but not chess, interestingly, where white has the advantage at the highest level of the game), the one who makes the last move has superior, often decisive information. “You go first” is not merely polite but self-serving. © 2008 Stephen Yuen