The predominance of seven and the apparent spontaneity of numerical choices.

When asked to report the first digit that comes to mind, a predominant number (28.4%) of the respondents choose 7. Three further experiments sought to establish whether this predominance is due to an automatic activation process or to a deliberate choice. The first experiment shows that the response pattern changes markedly (with 17.3% choosing 7) when the request is for a number between 6 and 15. The second experiment shows that if 7 is mentioned by the experimenter as an example of a response, its frequency drops significantly (to 16.6%). The third experiment shows that if a number in the 20s is requested, the choice pattern remains unchanged (27 is chosen by 27.7%), but if a number in the 70s is requested, 77 is chosen only by 15.5%. All these results are consistent with the idea that subjects choose the response such that it will appear to comply with the request for a spontaneous response.