Enhancing Decision Quality Through Information Exposure and the Moderating Effects of Explicit Factors

Abstract

Background Limited past research has stated that selective exposure is negatively correlated with decision quality and has demonstrated that when participants where steered into making a poor preliminary decision they made a worse final decision. However, the effect of free choice concerning the relationship between selective exposure and decision quality has not been investigated before. Aim The aim of the PhD was to address the gap in literature, examine in depth and reveal the true nature of the relationship between decision quality and selective exposure. Based on the limited literature and unilateral methodological designs of previous research, it was hypothesized that decision quality is positively correlated with selective exposure. Methods To test this hypothesis six consecutive studies where conducted, were participants were allowed to freely make a preliminary decision as opposed to preceding research. Additionally, the impact of specific moderators was assessed for the first time according to their effect on selective exposure and consequently on decision quality. Additionally, two novel decision-making tasks were employed to measure selective exposure, a survival scenario paradigm and a nutrition value paradigm. Results The results of all studies revealed that the moderators examined significantly increased participants’ degree of selective search and that selective exposure was positively correlated to the decision quality they exhibited during the completion of the decision-making exercises. Conclusion In conclusion, the main contribution to the literature is that it was shown that when participants were allowed to choose freely their preliminary decision, selective exposure and decision quality were positively correlated. Such finding has not been found before. Finally, the knowledge acquired from this thesis can be applied in ultimately all areas were decision-making takes place. Such areas include minor importance contexts such as consumer behavior and spread out to more significant areas such as health practice or military action. It is essential for decision-makers to be allowed to choose freely between alternatives and not be restricted by non-flexible decision-making interests or policies.

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