A Quantitative Study on Dice Roll Performance after the Implementation of Corporal Dice Punishments

Abstract:  In 1757, the Royal Navy felt that Admiral Byng’s performance in a recent battle had been sub-par, so they shot him, “pour encourager les autres". In this paper, we tested the same principle on dice. By implementing a system of punishments for dice that have been rolling poorly, we aimed to strike fear into their peers, ensuring that they stay in line, and encouraging them to make better rolls. We found that, for a majority of the methods tested, dice roll performance shows improvements after their fellow dice were made an example of, with the most effective method being a dice jail, with a 215% average roll improvement, and the least effective method being giving them to Chad for the afternoon, with a 90% average roll decrease.