Contingent Decision Behavior: Effect of Number of Alternatives To Be Selected on Consumers’ Decision Processes

Abstract

Extant research has demonstrated that models developed for predicting choices in decisions where only one of the available alternatives is to be selected “single‐item choice” decisions) are not able to accurately predict preferences in decisions where more than one alternative is to be selected (“multiple‐item choice” decisions). Findings from this research suggest that underlying decision processes are different for the two types of decisions. However, the specific nature of these differences is still not well understood. Differences in consumers’ information search between single‐item and multiple‐item choice decisions are examined in a decision‐making experiment. Using a computerized process‐tracing methodology, results of the study indicate that participants who make multiple‐item choice decisions engage in a more in‐depth information search with less variability in search patterns than do those who make single‐item choice decisions. Participants who make multiple‐item choice decisions are also more likely to use alternative‐based information‐search patterns. The results also show that there are no differences in information‐search behavior among three multiple‐item choice decisions used in the study. The study results are discussed, and their implications for consumer decision research are outlined.