Framing of imprecise quantities: When are lower interval bounds preferred to upper bounds?

Abstract

Imprecisely known quantities (e.g., predictions) are often described in approximate terms as ''more than X'' or ''less than Y'' (e.g., ''Ann will earn more than $50 000'' or ''less than $60 000''). Such phrases carry both quantitative and qualitative (pragmatic) information. Three studies are reported showing that lower limit estimates (more than, over, minimum) are generally more frequent, and considered more appropriate than upper limit estimates (less than, under, maximum) over a wide range of contexts. This is partly due to scalar properties of the number system, where lower numbers are attained before, and included in higher numbers, but not vice versa. As a result, upper limit statements are perceived as negations, and carry more specific information about the speaker's communicative concerns. Upper limit statements are preferred with amounts or quantities that can be perceived as small, whereas lower limit statements can be used both to indicate large quantities and as a default.

More than 50% or Less than 70% Chance: Pragmatic Implications of Single‐Bound Probability Estimates

“…The corpus counts indicate that lower‐limit phrases (over and more than) are more common with probabilities above than below 50%, whereas upper‐limit phrases (under and less than) occur primarily in a context of low probabilities. Additionally, “more than” phrases are generally more frequent than “less than” phrases, as has been found previously in other domains (amounts of money, estimates of time and distances, Halberg & Teigen, , and comparative statements, Hoorens & Bruckmüller, ). In addition, 50% stands out as particularly prominent number, reminiscent of the “50% blip” found in lay chance estimates (Fischhoff & Bruine de Bruin, ).…”

Progress framing and sunk costs: How managers’ statements about project progress reveal their investment intentions

“…In a previous analysis of phrases of comparison, Halberg and Teigen (2009) suggested that more than can be regarded as a positive, affirmative phrase, whereas less than signifies a negation (see also Sanford, Dawydiak, & Moxey, 2007). The present study reveals in addition reveals that almost is treated as a positive phrase, despite suggesting upward comparisons with a non-attained reference point.…”

A Review and Taxonomy of Choice Architecture Techniques

“…But harnessing loss aversion is only one process that the reframing technique can draw on. Because the framing of probability and quantity estimates affects their communicative content (Halberg & Teigen, ), a reframing intervention can aim at influencing patients' decisions when confronted with health statistics (Gigerenzer, Gaissmaier, Kurz‐Milcke, Schwartz, & Woloshin, ). Whereas strict definitions of framing require equivalence, the term is often also used in a more loose sense including “linguistic redescriptions of the same decision problem” (Krüger, Vogel, & Wänke, p. 13).…”