Looking and Weighting in Judgment and Choice

Abstract

A sampling model was proposed in which the weight given to a piece of information corresponds to the amount of sampling of that information in either a continuous, discrete or strategic manner. These three sampling processes were related to process tracing measures of initial and additional time per acquisition and frequency of acquisition. The applicability of the sampling model was tested in three experiments in which students uncovered information corresponding to verbal and math aptitude scores of hypothetical applicants and either judged the likelihood of success in a designated major or chose which of a pair of applicants was more likely to succeed in the major. Task focus was manipulated by altering the designated major. In Experiment 1, analysis of judgment data demonstrated large effects of task focus on the weighting of verbal and math scores and corresponding increases in number of acquisitions and time per acquisition on the information receiving more weight. In Experiments 2 and 3, analyses of choice proportions revealed effects of task focus on weight and bias parameters. Looking data in choice provided strong support for two of the stages of processing described by Russo and Leclerc (1994). Initial looks reflected orientation and screening functions and additional looks reflected more evaluative processes. Experiment 3 also explored similarities and differences among groups of participants who were classified as following different identifiable choice strategies.