There are a few main reasons why 7 seems to be a universally popular number when people are asked to pick a number between 1 and 10:
The Position of 7
7 sits right in the middle of the number range of 1 to 10. It’s not too high or too low. Psychologically, people tend to gravitate towards middle, moderate options when presented with a range of choices. Picking an extreme end number like 1 or 10 feels too extreme, while picking a very low number like 2 or 3 feels too low. 7 hits the sweet spot right in the middle.
The Rule of 7 in Memory
There is something called the “rule of 7” related to short-term memory. The rule states that most adults can store between 5 and 9 items in their short-term memory. This means 7 sits right in the ideal memory range. It’s easy for people to remember the number 7 compared to other numbers both higher and lower than 7.
Lucky Number 7
In many cultures historically and today, the number 7 is considered lucky. There are many examples that reinforce this lucky mystique:
- There are 7 days in a week
- There are 7 colors in a rainbow
- There are 7 notes in a musical scale
- There are 7 continents
- There are 7 wonders of the ancient world
This pervasive symbolism of 7 as a lucky number across cultures leads many people to unconsciously prefer it over other numbers.
The Prevalence of 7 in Culture
Building upon the lucky symbolism of 7, the number 7 is very prevalent throughout history and modern culture:
History
- There are 7 classical planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn)
- In Ancient Egypt there were 7 paths to heaven
- In Ancient Mesopotamia there were 7 gods who decreed the fates
- The number 7 is mentioned over 700 times in the Bible
- There were 7 Holy Virtues, 7 Deadly Sins, and 7 Sacraments in Christianity
Modern Culture
- There are 7 colors in a rainbow
- Snow White had 7 dwarves
- There are 7 Harry Potter books
- 007 is James Bond’s spy code number
- 7-Eleven is a popular convenience store
- 7 Up is a popular soft drink brand
- There are 7 days of the week
This frequent use of 7 throughout culture reinforces it as a significant number in people’s minds.
The Meaning of Numbers
Numerology is a belief system that assigns meaning to different numbers. In numerology, the number 7 has several symbolic meanings:
Wholeness and Completion
7 is considered a holy number because it is the sum of spirit (3) and matter (4). It represents the union of divinity and humanity, so it is seen as a complete or holy number.
Wisdom
The shape of the number 7 looks like a lightning bolt, evoking the image of a wise prophet receiving divine revelation from above.
Mysticism and Spirituality
7 is seen as a mystical number that is connected to spiritual awakenings and consciousness. There are 7 chakras and 7 stages of spiritual development in many Eastern religions.
For people who put stock in numerical symbolism, the rich meaning behind 7 makes it an appealing number to choose.
The Sound of the Number 7
There are certain linguistic reasons why 7 is pleasing:
- It contains 2 syllables (“sev-en”) making it more substantial sounding.
- The hard “v” and “n” sounds are definite and solid.
- It does not contain hard consonant clusters that are difficult to pronounce.
By contrast, a number like 9 is not quite as pleasing because it is only one syllable and the ending “yuh” sound trails off.
The more pleasing pronunciation of 7 compared to other single digit numbers contributes to it sounding like a better choice.
Bias Towards Prime Numbers
A prime number is a number that is only divisible by 1 and itself. The number 7 is a prime number. Studies have shown that people tend to favor prime numbers when asked to pick a number between 1 and 10.
This bias towards primes may come from the fact that primes feel more “complete” as they are only divisible by 1 and themselves. Non-prime numbers are divisible by more factors so they don’t seem as independent.
Other Prime Numbers
The other prime numbers between 1 and 10 are 2, 3, and 5. However, each of these has potential downsides:
- 2 feels too small and not substantial enough.
- 3 feels too low and unimpressive.
- 5 ends with a weak-sounding “uh” syllable.
Of all the prime numbers from 1 to 10, 7 stands out as the most appealing option.
The Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Numbers
The golden ratio is an aesthetically pleasing proportion found frequently in nature and used widely in art and architecture. It is approximately 1.618.
The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence of numbers where each number is the sum of the previous two. The Fibonacci numbers approximate the golden ratio.
The number 7 is part of the Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 18, 29…) and therefore relates to the aesthetically pleasing golden ratio.
Fibonacci Numbers
| Number | Fibonacci Number |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 8 |
| 7 | 13 |
| 8 | 21 |
| 9 | 34 |
| 10 | 55 |
This relationship to beauty and natural patterns boosts some people’s preference for 7 over other numbers.
The 7 Chakras
In yoga and Eastern spiritual traditions, there are 7 main chakras or energy centers in the body:
- Root chakra
- Sacral chakra
- Solar plexus chakra
- Heart chakra
- Throat chakra
- Third eye chakra
- Crown chakra
These 7 chakras represent a person’s full spiritual potential. When they are balanced and aligned, harmony and health flourishes. For spiritual seekers, the number 7 may hold special meaning tied to inner development and alignment.
Chakra Colors and Elements
| Chakra | Location | Color | Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root | Base of spine | Red | Earth |
| Sacral | Lower abdomen | Orange | Water |
| Solar Plexus | Upper abdomen | Yellow | Fire |
| Heart | Center of chest | Green | Air |
| Throat | Throat | Blue | Sound |
| Third Eye | Between eyebrows | Indigo | Light |
| Crown | Top of head | Violet | Thought |
7 in Design and Aesthetics
In design, composition, and photography, certain principles are used to create aesthetically pleasing images:
- The rule of thirds – splitting an image into 3 rows and columns
- Odd numbers are more interesting than even numbers
- The number 7 is used as a preferred odd number
Having 7 elements in an image rather than 6 or 8 is believed to create more visual interest and dynamic composition. This preference translates over into a liking for the abstract number 7.
Example Compositions
| Photo | Elements | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Photo with 6 birds | 6 birds | Balanced but a bit boring |
| Photo with 7 birds | 7 birds | More visually interesting |
| Photo with 8 birds | 8 birds | Too many, cluttered |
Conclusion
In summary, there are a variety of reasons both numerical and psychological why 7 emerges as a commonly chosen number when people are asked to pick a number between 1 and 10:
- Its middle position
- Memory and cognition factors
- Lucky symbolism across cultures
- Prevalence in history and pop culture
- Spiritual meaning
- Its prime number status
- Connection to natural ratio
- Pleasant sound
- Visual design principles
So the next time you ask someone to pick a number and they say “7,” you’ll know there are some very good reasons why this specific number stands out from the crowd.