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Investigating Patterns and Differences in Proleader and Antitrailer Information Distortion

Erford, Breann M

Abstract Details

2014, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
When choosing among multiple alternatives, it is always possible for an early favorite to be displaced as the leader by one of the trailing alternatives, either because of new information or because the preferred alternative is no longer available. For this reason, it is important to understand not only how people process information about the leading alternative but also how they process information about the trailing alternatives. In this article, we report two new experiments involving the biased predecisional processing of information about tentatively leading and trailing alternatives. Study 1 (n = 462) used a 2x2 between-participants design to vary attribute presentation (jointly, with all alternatives on one screen, versus sequentially, with each alternative on a different screen) and alternative evaluation (ranking versus rating). Joint (versus sequential) information presentation yielded a steeper and negative linear relationship between information distortion and option rank, whereas ranking versus rating the alternatives had essentially no effect. Study 2 investigated the effect of narrowing a choice set on information distortion. Since previous research has shown that second-ranked options are negatively distorted in 2-alternative choices but minimally distorted in 6-alternative choices, we hypothesized that narrowing the choice set from 6 to 2 alternatives midway through a decision would shift distortion of the second-ranked alternative from minimal to significantly negative. Study 2 (n = 509) used a 2x2 between-participants design to vary information presentation (joint versus sequential, as in Study 1) and narrowing condition (always-six versus narrows-to-two). Contrary to our hypothesis, narrowing did not significantly affect distortion of the second-ranked alternative, which remained slightly positive on average. However, narrowing the choice set significantly increased the positive distortion of the first-ranked alternative. These results may be due to participants viewing the narrowing as a (positive) choice of their top two options.
Michael DeKay (Advisor)
Ellen Peters (Committee Member)
Ian Krajbich (Committee Member)
60 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Erford, B. M. (2014). Investigating Patterns and Differences in Proleader and Antitrailer Information Distortion [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1412771908

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Erford, Breann. Investigating Patterns and Differences in Proleader and Antitrailer Information Distortion. 2014. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1412771908.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Erford, Breann. "Investigating Patterns and Differences in Proleader and Antitrailer Information Distortion." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1412771908

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)