The question, “Why do people say yes?” is different than the question, “Why does a (particular) person say yes?” While the two questions seem similar, the difference is in the movement from the general to the particular. My initial work has focused on stochastic samples, and I have looked at these stochastic samples as they relate to commercial application.
However, the human mind is a mystery, and a particular individual may say “yes” for reasons that defy easy analysis. I have emphasized the importance of perceived value and perceived cost. In doing so, I’m drawing attention to the notion of perception, and in doing that, I am hinting at the next layer of research: Why two different people might look at the same value/cost set and perceive two different “sums.”
The answer to this question takes all of my current work to an entirely new level. Personally, I have found this second question leads to an especially revealing third question. In the final analysis, the most important question is not “Why do people say yes?,” and it is not “Why does a person say yes?” It is only this: “Why am I saying yes?”
