Sorry, you’re right, I didn’t read your previous post carefully enough.
I agree that if this phenomenon is real, in order to explain it in terms of a rational agent you do need to either know something about the person who solved it, or how long they took, or some other detail about them in order for this to be helpful in any way.
In the real world, however, a declaration of having solved the problem always leaves some sort of knowledge. In the web search case that just unfolded in this thread, by posting a solution you leaked the information that a solution existed and that it didn’t take an unreasonable amount of time to figure out, which provided Benja additional incentive to start looking for a clever approach.
I’ll agree that it does seem like there is more than simple information gain going on here though. Perhaps there are other factors, such as the insertion of an element of competition?
I’ll agree that it does seem like there is more than simple information gain going on here though. Perhaps there are other factors, such as the insertion of an element of competition?
Certainly seems possible. I admit I tend to announce the time it took to find something that someone failed to as part of showing off and elevating myself, so it would be no surprise if the recipient felt shamed and inflamed into looking better—the difference between peak and average performance might explain the differential.
Sorry, you’re right, I didn’t read your previous post carefully enough.
I agree that if this phenomenon is real, in order to explain it in terms of a rational agent you do need to either know something about the person who solved it, or how long they took, or some other detail about them in order for this to be helpful in any way.
In the real world, however, a declaration of having solved the problem always leaves some sort of knowledge. In the web search case that just unfolded in this thread, by posting a solution you leaked the information that a solution existed and that it didn’t take an unreasonable amount of time to figure out, which provided Benja additional incentive to start looking for a clever approach.
I’ll agree that it does seem like there is more than simple information gain going on here though. Perhaps there are other factors, such as the insertion of an element of competition?
Certainly seems possible. I admit I tend to announce the time it took to find something that someone failed to as part of showing off and elevating myself, so it would be no surprise if the recipient felt shamed and inflamed into looking better—the difference between peak and average performance might explain the differential.