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Same Amount, but Losing Hurts More

⚖️ You choose twice: «a sure +50» versus «a coin flip: +100 or 0», then «a sure −50» versus «a coin flip: −100 or 0». Within each pair the expected values are identical. Yet most people take the sure thing when gaining and the gamble when losing — what chose was the wording, gaining or losing, not the number. 🔁 Second, repetition. Do «a coin flip: +100 or 0» once and the result is only 0 or 100; there is no «average» at all. Repeat it 50 or 500 times and the average per round settles onto the expected value of 50. The thrill of a single try dissolves into many. 🔀 Third, rewording. «Milk with 90% of the fat removed» and «milk that is 10% fat»; «a 70% pass rate» and «a 30% failure rate» — the two numbers always add to 100. Same fact; if one still felt better, the wording chose. This app was made with code too · Remix it and change the number of repeats.