Behavioral Obligation and Information Avoidance

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although knowledge can be powerful and bring a variety of important benefits, people often opt to remain ignorant. PURPOSE: We propose that people are particularly inclined to remain ignorant when learning information could obligate undesirable behavior. METHOD: In three studies, participants completed an online risk calculator and then learned that receiving high-risk feedback from the calculator would obligate them to engage in a behavior that was either highly undesirable (e.g., undergoing a cervical exam and taking medication for the rest of their life) or only slightly undesirable (e.g., having their cheek swabbed and taking medication for 2 weeks). We then offered participants the opportunity to receive risk feedback from the calculator. RESULTS: Across all studies, participants more often avoided feedback when it could obligate highly undesirable behavior compared with mildly undesirable behavior. CONCLUSION: People decline learning their risk information more often when doing so obligates undesirable behavior in response.

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