Your name made you do it, though unconsciously, suggests new research that finds your name can negatively make you achieve less.
Your
name
made
you
do
it
,
though
unconsciously
,
suggests
new
research
that
finds
your
name
can
negatively
make
you
achieve
less
.
Psychologists at Yale and the University of California, San Diego studying the unconscious influence of names say a preference for our own names and initials--the "name-letter effect"--can have some negative consequences.
Psychologists
at
Yale
and
the
University
of
California
,
San
Diego
studying
the
unconscious
influence
of
names
say
a
preference
for
our
own
names
and
initials
--
the
``
name-letter
effect
''
--
can
have
some
negative
consequences
.
Students whose names begin with C or D get lower grades than those whose names begin with A or B; major league baseball players whose first or last names began with K (the strikeout-signifying letter) are significantly more likely tostrike out.
Students
whose
names
begin
with
C
or
D
get
lower
grades
than
those
whose
names
begin
with
A
or
B
;
major
league
baseball
players
whose
first
or
last
names
began
with
K
(
the
strikeout-signifying
letter
)
are
significantly
more
likely
tostrike
out
.
Assistant professors Leif Nelson of UCSD and Joseph Simmons of Yale have conducted five studies over five years using information from thousands of individuals.
Assistant
professors
Leif
Nelson
of
UCSD
and
Joseph
Simmons
of
Yale
have
conducted
five
studies
over
five
years
using
information
from
thousands
of
individuals
.
"The conscious process is baseball players want to get a hit and students want to get A's," Nelson says.
``
The
conscious
process
is
baseball
players
want
to
get
a
hit
and
students
want
to
get
A
's
,
''
Nelson
says
.
"So if you get a change in performance consistent with the name-letter effect, it clearly shows there must be some unconscious desire operating in the other direction."
``
So
if
you
get
a
change
in
performance
consistent
with
the
name-letter
effect
,
it
clearly
shows
there
must
be
some
unconscious
desire
operating
in
the
other
direction
.
''
The researchers' work supports a series of studies published since 2002 that have found the "name-letter effect" causes people to make life choices based on names that resemble their own.
The
researchers
'
work
supports
a
series
of
studies
published
since
2002
that
have
found
the
``
name-letter
effect
''
causes
people
to
make
life
choices
based
on
names
that
resemble
their
own
.
Those studies by Brett Pelham, an associate professor at SUNY University, have found that people aredisproportionately likely to live in states or cities resembling their names, have careers that resemble their names and even marry those whose surnames begin with the same letter as their own.
Those
studies
by
Brett
Pelham
,
an
associate
professor
at
SUNY
University
,
have
found
that
people
aredisproportionately
likely
to
live
in
states
or
cities
resembling
their
names
,
have
careers
that
resemble
their
names
and
even
marry
those
whose
surnames
begin
with
the
same
letter
as
their
own
.
The twist, Pelham says, is that he has believed the name-letter effect would apply only to positive outcomes.
The
twist
,
Pelham
says
,
is
that
he
has
believed
the
name-letter
effect
would
apply
only
to
positive
outcomes
.
Nelson and Simmons, he says, are "showing it applies more so to negative things than positive things."
Nelson
and
Simmons
,
he
says
,
are
``
showing
it
applies
more
so
to
negative
things
than
positive
things
.
''
The researchers say the effect is definitely more than coincidence but is small nevertheless.
The
researchers
say
the
effect
is
definitely
more
than
coincidence
but
is
small
nevertheless
.
"I know plenty of Chrises and Davids who have done very well in school," Simmons says.
``
I
know
plenty
of
Chrises
and
Davids
who
have
done
very
well
in
school
,
''
Simmons
says
.
Your name made you do it, though unconsciously, suggests new research that finds your name can negatively make you achieve less. Psychologists at Yale and the University of California, San Diego studying the unconscious influence of names say a preference for our own names and initials--the "name-letter effect"--can have some negative consequences.  Students whose names begin with C or D get lower grades than those whose names begin with A or B; major league baseball players whose first or last names began with K (the strikeout-signifying letter) are significantly more likely tostrike out.  Assistant professors Leif Nelson of UCSD and Joseph Simmons of Yale have conducted five studies over five years using information from thousands of individuals.  "The conscious process is baseball players want to get a hit and students want to get A's," Nelson says. "So if you get a change in performance consistent with the name-letter effect, it clearly shows there must be some unconscious desire operating in the other direction."  The researchers' work supports a series of studies published since 2002 that have found the "name-letter effect" causes people to make life choices based on names that resemble their own. Those studies by Brett Pelham, an associate professor at SUNY University, have found that people aredisproportionately likely to live in states or cities resembling their names, have careers that resemble their names and even marry those whose surnames begin with the same letter as their own.  The twist, Pelham says, is that he has believed the name-letter effect would apply only to positive outcomes. Nelson and Simmons, he says, are "showing it applies more so to negative things than positive things."  The researchers say the effect is definitely more than coincidence but is small nevertheless. "I know plenty of Chrises and Davids who have done very well in school," Simmons says.