Deliberation or distraction: How the presentation format of choice information impacts complex decision making

The authors extend unconscious thought theory by investigating how differences in the presentation of information affect subsequent conscious and unconscious thought. Three studies demonstrate that when information about choice options is presented individually, a period of conscious thought helps i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of business research 2019-10, Vol.103, p.195-205
Main Authors: Hasford, Jonathan, Hardesty, David M., Kidwell, Blair
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Complex choice
Conscious thought
Decision making
Presentation format
Unconscious thought theory
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Summary:The authors extend unconscious thought theory by investigating how differences in the presentation of information affect subsequent conscious and unconscious thought. Three studies demonstrate that when information about choice options is presented individually, a period of conscious thought helps improve choice quality. Conversely, when information about choice options is presented across all options in an attribute-by-attribute manner, a period of unconscious thought enhances choice quality. Furthermore, these effects are generalized to the choice of real products with attribute information and presentation differences taken from a major online retailer. Implications for unconscious thought theory and buyer behavior are discussed.
ISSN:0148-2963
1873-7978
DOI:10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.043