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Poster Session B: Wednesday, August 13, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, de Brug & E‑Hall

Information search strategies in within-domain vs. across-domain decisions

Maryam Tohidi-Moghaddam¹, Sebastian Gluth¹; ¹Universität Hamburg

Presenter: Maryam Tohidi-Moghaddam

Extant theories of value-based decisions, in particular the common-currency hypothesis, assume that the brain computes subjective values for choice options and selects the preferred option on the basis of these value representations. Here, we challenge this view by arguing that the need to compute integrated option values depends on the type of decisions. Specifically, we contrast within-domain decisions, where options share common attributes, and across-domain decisions, where options have fundamentally different attributes. Because attribute-wise comparisons of different options are possible in within- but not across-domain decisions, we expect a higher need to compute option values in across-domain decisions. This should be reflected in different visual search patterns. To test this, we designed a value-based multi-attribute task with two types of within-domain and across-domain decisions. We recorded eye movements during the process of decision making and integrated value formation. Consistent with our hypothesis, participants exhibited more attribute-wise search patterns in within- compared to across-domain decisions, even though behavioral characteristics remained unchanged. Our results suggest that people use different decision strategies, that differ with respect to the need to compute integrated option values.

Topic Area: Reward, Value & Social Decision Making

Extended Abstract: Full Text PDF