According to a new study, people whose surnames start with letters late in the alphabet may be the fastest to buy. What could possibly explain this weird phenomenon, which the study authors dubbed "the last-name effect"? The research didn't provide a definitive reason, but the authors offer an intriguing theory. Since America's obsession with alphabetical order often forces the Z's to the back of the line in childhood, they suffer. They were always the last to get lunch in the cafeteria — sorry, Young, the other kids bought all the chocolate milk again — and had to beg for the teacher's attention from the back of the classroom. So later in life, when the Z's — and even onetime Z's who became A's through marriage — see an item they really like for sale or are offered a deal, they jump on it, afraid that supplies won't last. The chocolate milk is finally in front of them. So they grab it.
米国での調査で、幼少時の苗字がアルファベットの後ろの方で始まる人ほど、買い物のタイミングが早くメールチェックの頻度が多いことが判明しました。逆にアルファベットの前半で苗字が始まる人は、物を買うときはじっくり判断する傾向が強いとか。オリジナル論文は未読なのですが、上記の記事を読むと、
アメリカの学校は日本よりずっと「50音順」の傾向が強そうです。席順も、昼食の給仕もアルファベット順なのが、高校まで続くとは･･･そりゃ影響は一生続くよな。日本では定期的に席替えがあったり、
出席番号が誕生日順の県があったり、もう少し逃げ場があるのが救いでしょうか。それでも、出席番号は後ろから数えた方が早い自分も、買い物やらの時に「この機会を逃したら次はないかも」と焦る場合がありますから。全米のZimmermansさんに救いあれ。
