The study by Danziger, Levav, and Avnaim-Pesso (2011) on Israeli parole board rulings reveals that the order in which cases are presented affects the decisions made. Favorable rulings drop from 65% to 0% within a session, then return to 65% after a food break. The authors suggest mental depletion plays a role. This unexpected effect challenges the assumption that legal decisions are based solely on law. Surprisingly, simulations show similar results could be achieved by rational time management. The study’s findings have been widely cited across various fields due to the significant magnitude of the effect.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/judgment-and-decision-making/article/irrational-hungry-judge-effect-revisited-simulations-reveal-that-the-magnitude-of-the-effect-is-overestimated/61CE825D4DC137675BB9CAD04571AE58