Peak-end rule

Overview

The peak-end rule is a cognitive bias in which people judge a past experience not by the average of the whole experience, but by the moment when their emotions were strongest (the peak) and by how the experience ended (the end). Daniel Kahneman and colleagues showed it in a 1993 paper.

Question boxes and the peak-end rule

The peak-end rule also applies to Q&A sessions in a question box. If you answer 10 questions, what your followers remember is thought to be "the funniest answer" and "the last answer." No matter how good the 8 in the middle are, if the last one is dull, the impression of the whole session goes down.

On the other hand, putting special effort into your last answer helps lift the impression of the whole session. Announce "This is the last one for today's Q&A!" and give your very best answer to a question you've been saving. This way of wrapping up is one of the things that shapes how satisfied your followers are.

Using it when you send questions

People sending questions can keep the peak-end rule in mind too. If you're sending several questions, make the last one memorable.

Start with "I'm sending you 3 questions today" and save the question the other person will probably enjoy most for the third one. Thinking about the order like this also affects the impression you leave. The peak-end rule is an idea that overlaps with the saying "all's well that ends well."