Implied-precision effect — precise numbers are perceived as more credible

Claim: Multiple independent streams (Zhang & Schwarz 2012; Jerez-Fernandez et al. 2014; Loschelder et al.; California Management Review 2024 synthesis) show precise numbers are perceived as more credible, competent, and scientific than round numbers — the "precision / implied-precision effect."

Precise figures signal confidence and expertise, and recipients adjust more toward, and prefer, advisers who give precise estimates.

Source: Zhang & Schwarz 2012; Jerez-Fernandez 2014; Loschelder et al.

Confidence: Verified.

Why this matters for Candid: Creates the tempting trap of false precision. The defense: pair credibility-signaling concreteness (specific drivers, defined tiers, visual scale) with explicit uncertainty (range, conditional framing).