Choice-induced preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarification
Positive spreading of ratings or rankings in the classical free-choice paradigm is commonly taken to indicate choice-induced change in preferences and has motivated influential theories as cognitive dissonance theory and self-perception theory. Chen and Risen (2010) argued by means of a mathematical...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Judgment and Decision Making |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.sjdm.org/12/12710/jdm12710.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797718343024640000 |
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| author | Carlos Alós-Ferrer Fei Shi |
| author_facet | Carlos Alós-Ferrer Fei Shi |
| author_sort | Carlos Alós-Ferrer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Positive spreading of
ratings or rankings in the classical free-choice paradigm is commonly taken to
indicate choice-induced change in preferences and has motivated influential
theories as cognitive dissonance theory and self-perception theory. Chen and
Risen (2010) argued by means of a mathematical proof that positive spreading is
merely a statistical consequence of a flawed design. However, positive
spreading has also been observed in blind choice and other designs where the
alleged flaw should be absent. We show that the result in Chen and Risen (2010)
is mathematically incorrect, although it can be recovered in a particular case.
Specifically, we present a formal model of decision making that satisfies all
assumptions in that article but implies that spreading need not be positive in
the absence of choice-induced preference change. Hence, although the
free-choice paradigm is flawed, the present research shows that reasonable
models of human behavior need not predict consistent positive spreading. As a
consequence, taken as a whole, previous experimental results remain
informative. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:50:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-284e68da5b3d4240ba9d54cf040e3f60 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1930-2975 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:50:40Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Judgment and Decision Making |
| spelling | doaj.art-284e68da5b3d4240ba9d54cf040e3f602023-09-02T16:21:03ZengCambridge University PressJudgment and Decision Making1930-29752015-01-011013449Choice-induced preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarificationCarlos Alós-FerrerFei ShiPositive spreading of ratings or rankings in the classical free-choice paradigm is commonly taken to indicate choice-induced change in preferences and has motivated influential theories as cognitive dissonance theory and self-perception theory. Chen and Risen (2010) argued by means of a mathematical proof that positive spreading is merely a statistical consequence of a flawed design. However, positive spreading has also been observed in blind choice and other designs where the alleged flaw should be absent. We show that the result in Chen and Risen (2010) is mathematically incorrect, although it can be recovered in a particular case. Specifically, we present a formal model of decision making that satisfies all assumptions in that article but implies that spreading need not be positive in the absence of choice-induced preference change. Hence, although the free-choice paradigm is flawed, the present research shows that reasonable models of human behavior need not predict consistent positive spreading. As a consequence, taken as a whole, previous experimental results remain informative.http://journal.sjdm.org/12/12710/jdm12710.pdfcognitive dissonance decision making free-choice paradigm preferences. \end{NoHyper}NAKeywords |
| spellingShingle | Carlos Alós-Ferrer Fei Shi Choice-induced preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarification Judgment and Decision Making cognitive dissonance decision making free-choice paradigm preferences. \end{NoHyper}NAKeywords |
| title | Choice-induced
preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarification |
| title_full | Choice-induced
preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarification |
| title_fullStr | Choice-induced
preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarification |
| title_full_unstemmed | Choice-induced
preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarification |
| title_short | Choice-induced
preference change and the free-choice paradigm: A clarification |
| title_sort | choice induced preference change and the free choice paradigm a clarification |
| topic | cognitive dissonance decision making free-choice paradigm preferences. \end{NoHyper}NAKeywords |
| url | http://journal.sjdm.org/12/12710/jdm12710.pdf |
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