Cultural differences in random numbers

The title is absurd, so let me explain:

When people talk and need to throw some random number, people do not just throw any number. People are more likely to choose certain numbers over others. Depending on the context, we may opt for a larger or smaller number, but for any given order of magnitude, numbers are not equally likely to be chosen as the random number needed to make a point.

For example, people are likely to prefer 37 over 36. 37 being prime, seems more strange and less normal. Some may be culturally predisposed to choose 42 in that range. It appears that people think of random as of the unlikely, and then they choose some number they rarely use.

Today in a conversation, we were three in Spain and all about to throw up some random number for whatever reason, and we all chose 18. This could of course have been a coincidence. But I raised the point: It occured to me that in Denmark people are more likely to choose 17. I guess that by speaking spanish, I suddenly pick a different random number!

That's when it occured to me: There are cultural differences in random numbers!

To contribute to the worlds pool of useless knowledge, I have decided to conduct a study: What is your random number? Of course, I do not mean you should throw dices but rather submit the most frequently number chosen as some random number, along with your language and country/state.

Posted: 2008-09-18 20:32:09 UTC+02.