Decision Technology's New Research Reveals Preference for Certain Chinese Zodiac Signs Despite a Low Level of Engagement Across the British Public

LONDON, February 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

With the Chinese New Year approaching, new research found that only 6% of the British public would pay £20 to change their Chinese zodiac sign, with this group skewing younger and over-indexing in minority ethnic groups. Over 60% of Brits don't know their zodiac symbol, but respondents do show a preference for certain signs indicating familiarity with the associated traits.

We asked respondents whether they would pay a certain amount to change their zodiac sign. The zodiac system is based on a 12-year cycle, which roughly replicates the 11.86-year period Jupiter takes to do a full rotation around the sun. Each year is represented by a different animal, so the belief is that birth year dictates traits, preferences and luck.

Though only 6% would pay over £20 to change sign, within this group we see strong differentiation between animals. The Dragon and Rabbit are the most popular, while the Goat and Tiger are least likely to be paid for. The Dragon is confident, kind-hearted and ambitious, while the Rabbit is known for its cleverness, compassion and sensitivity.

Claire Nolan, Principal at Dectech, comments: "There is a relatively low willingness to pay in this topic, which indicates a weak understanding of the zodiac system, a lack of belief in its theories, or a general satisfaction with the sign given at birth. Though 60% of the population doesn't know which sign they are based on their birth year, this doesn't rule out the third potential explanation. Status quo bias states that any change is seen as risky, and people generally prefer to keep things as they are. Though respondents don't know which animal they are, they might believe it's been serving them well thus far."

Notes to Editors 

• Research was conducted by Decision Technology online from 20^th-25^th December 2017 on 1,055 UK adults.

About Decision Technology 

Decision Technology (Dectech) is an innovative research consultancy that specialises in helping businesses and policymakers understand and manage customer decision-making, from acquisition through to retention and all the points in-between. It applies insights and techniques from behavioural science, such as randomised controlled field trials and online behavioural experiments, rather than traditional market research surveys. It is a member of the Market Research Society and the Management Consultancies Association.