A set of computer-based recreation site choice experiments were run to examine the effect of expected congestion and social interaction on the decision making process. MouseTrace is a process-tracing program that records individual subject’s information acquisitions and provides the necessary information to determine if subjects used attribute-based or alternative-based processing for each choice made. In general, subjects utilized the simpler attribute-based processing for the first task and as they repeated the choice, they switched from attribute-based processing to alternative-based processing. However, after repeated decision tasks the introduction of a new attribute induced subjects to return to attribute-based processing.
Regression analysis on search type reveled that there were some fixed session effects. It also revealed that males are more likely to use attribute-based processing than females and older individuals are less likely to use attribute-based processing. Time restrictions encourage attribute-based processing and social interactions with a companion discourage attribute-based processing. Social interactions also had an influence on recreation site choice. They had the largest influence on the subjects whose interactions occurred in the early rounds.
Subjects were divided into two groups, attribute-based processors and alternative-based processors, by the type of processing used on the majority of choice tasks. Regression analysis revealed a significant difference in recreation-choice between the two groups. This is an intriguing result because recreation parks may be able to market themselves differently to different types of individuals. Attribute-based processing subjects were 6.7 percent less likely than alternative-based processors to choose a congested site.
The results were also used to determine WTP estimates for attributes at the Ohio State Parks. Attribute-based and alternative-based processing individuals had different WTP estimates for each of the attributes but the signs and magnitudes were similar for all attributes except when it comes to congestion. Attribute-based individuals had a WTP of $0.27 for an additional parking spot. Alternative-based individuals had an equal but opposite reaction to congestion; they had a WTP of -$0.27 for an additional parking spot. Thus, ignoring search type can lead to biased welfare estimates.