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How previous choice affects decision attribute weights: a field survey

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of people’s prior choice making on their weights of decision attributes. According to theories on post-decision processes, preferences are likely to be reconstructed in line with a preceding choice. The present study hypothesized that preferences are constructed so that superior (inferior) attributes of a chosen alternative are weighted higher (lower) than before. This hypothesis was tested in a field survey of university students in Japan. The data supported the hypothesis that the weights of the superior (inferior) attributes of the chosen alternative increased (decreased) as time passed since the decision was made. This result suggests the validity of the causal relationship in which choice shapes preference, which is the reverse of what is generally assumed in decision research.

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Notes

  1. Dominance structuring theory of Montgomery (1983) also claims that preference is reconstructed in line with a preceding choice. However, as noted by Svenson (1992), the theory focuses primarily on pre-decision processes. Research on pre-decisional distortion of information (e.g., Russo et al. 1996) also focused on pre-decision processes in which a preexisting preference leads to the distortion of new information in favor of the preferred alternative.

  2. Post-decision processes forming core preferences may be related to experience gained after the decision. Hoeffler and Ariely (1999) reported that the stability of a preference depends on experience after the choice. According to this study, experience associated with a choice can help stabilize the preference constructed. In particular, the constructed preference can be reinforced so that the chosen alternative remains favored through non-diagnostic experience, as distinct from diagnostic experience which helps discriminate among competing alternatives (Hoch and Deighton 1989).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Design, Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime, 790-8577, Japan

    Tsuyoshi Hatori

  2. Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Satoshi Fujii

  3. Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

    Kazuhisa Takemura

Authors
  1. Tsuyoshi Hatori
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  2. Satoshi Fujii
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  3. Kazuhisa Takemura
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Correspondence to Tsuyoshi Hatori.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by Marcus Selart.

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Hatori, T., Fujii, S. & Takemura, K. How previous choice affects decision attribute weights: a field survey. Behaviormetrika 44, 477–487 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41237-017-0028-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41237-017-0028-6

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