The percentage ratio of black to white fish in Lake A and Lake B and the sequence of fish catch colours for series 1 to 6*
| Series, catch | Lake A, B:W | Lake B, B:W |
|---|---|---|
| 1. B-W-B-W-W-B-W-B-B-W | 50:50 | 20:80 |
| 2. B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B | 80:20 | 20:80 |
| 3. B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B | 80:20 | 50:50 |
| 4. B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B | 50:50 | 20:80 |
| 5. B-W-B-B-B-B-W-B-B-B | 80:20 | 50:50 |
| 6. B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B | 50:50 | 50:50 |
B = black fish; W = white fish
↵* Lake positions and fish colour for both catches and lake ratios were counterbalanced across series and participants. Counterbalancing was taken into account here and elsewhere (e.g., data analysis) by transforming the data such that black fish represented the constant fish colour for series 2, 3, 4 and 6, and the predominant colour in series 5. For series 1, where an equal number of black and white fish were caught, the data were transformed such that the first fish caught was set to black. Additionally, the lakes were organized such that the lake with the higher proportion of black fish was designated “Lake A” and the other “Lake B.”