No Peak-End Rule for Simple Positive Experiences Observed in Children and Adults

Abstract

We investigated the tendency of children and adults to rely on the most intense and final moments when judging positive experiences, a heuristic known as the peak-end rule. This rule allows us to judge experiences quickly, but it can bias judgments. In three experiments involving various age groups (N = 988, ages 2–97), we attempted to replicate prior findings of a peak-end rule for small and simple positive experiences (e.g., receiving small gifts; Do, Rupert, & Wolford, 2008). Based on the original study and peak-end rule predictions, we hypothesized that individuals of all ages would be less satisfied with a highly desirable gift followed by a less desirable gift than with a highly desirable gift alone. We failed to observe the peak-end rule in preschoolers, school-aged children, younger adults, or older adults in any of the contexts we investigated. Our results show little support for positive peak-end rule effects and mark boundary conditions for the rule.