How Making the Same Decision in a “Proper Way” Creates Value

Abstract

We hypothesized that perceiving oneself as choosing an object in a proper way, by strengthening engagement in the ongoing decision process, can intensify attraction to the chosen object. Participants in all four studies chose between a coffee mug and a nonexpensive pen. The analyses were restricted to those participants who made the same choice—overwhelmingly, the coffee mug. Participants' experience of using proper means to make their choice was manipulated by telling participants either to justify their decision (Studies 1a & b) or to make their decision “in the right way” (Studies 2a & b). The other participants used the same means to make their choice (i.e., listing the positive and negative consequences of choosing the mug and of choosing the pen) but were given instructions to experience them as purely instrumental means. In all four studies, the perceived monetary value of the same chosen mug was substantially greater in the “proper way” condition than the “instrumental way” condition. Additional findings supported the proposed mechanism for this effect rather than alternative mechanisms: the effect was independent of participants' mood, as well as their perception of the effectiveness or efficiency of the decision process; it occurred only when the justification was part of the decision-making process itself; it was greater for participants with a stronger general belief in the importance of making decisions in a proper way; making decisions in a proper way increased the perceived value of the positive, nonchosen pen as well as the chosen mug; and the perceived value of the chosen mug depended on the number of its perceived positive attributes in the “instrumental” condition but not in the “proper way” condition.

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