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The Moderating Role of Decisiveness in the Attraction Effect

  • Guy Barokas ORCID logo EMAIL logo und Eyal Gamliel
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 6. September 2023

Abstract

This study examines decisiveness as a potential moderator of the attraction effect. In an online experiment, we find that even though decisiveness moderates the attraction effect, it also moderates the preference reversal in the absence of a decoy. This suggests that the moderating role of decisiveness in the attraction effect lies, at least partially, in moderating choice reversals unrelated to the decoy. In addition, our findings show that about one-third of the most decisive participants exhibit an attraction effect. These findings are inconsistent with a conceptualization of a moderate attraction effect, arguing that only indecisive agents exhibit the effect. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.

JEL Classification: D11; D12

Corresponding author: Guy Barokas, The Multidisciplinary Decision-Making Research Center, Ruppin Academic Center, Emek Hefer, Israel, E-mail:

Appendix A

The first question received by each of the three groups in the second trial of the experiment.

First case study: Beer

You arrive to a supermarket to purchase a six-pack bear. You have eliminated the available options to 2(3) brands of bear: A and B (and C). For each brand, the price of six-pack and the beer’s average rating in taste tests between 1 and 5 are presented.

Experimental group 1[7]

Price (for a six-pack) Average rating
Beer A 48 NIS 4.5
Beer B 36 NIS 3.5
Beer C 55 NIS 4.5

Experimental group 2

Price (for a six-pack) Average rating
Beer A 48 NIS 4.5
Beer B 36 NIS 3.5
Beer C 36 NIS 3

Control group

Price (for a six-pack) Average rating
Beer A 48 NIS 4.5
Beer B 36 NIS 3.5

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Received: 2023-04-03
Accepted: 2023-08-24
Published Online: 2023-09-06

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Heruntergeladen am 16.11.2025 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/bejeap-2023-0104/pdf?lang=de
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