Decision Making and the Avoidance of Cognitive Demand
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| Title: | Decision Making and the Avoidance of Cognitive Demand |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kool, Wouter, McGuire, Joseph T., Rosen, Zev B. |
| Source: | Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Nov 2010 139(4):665-682. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Physical Description: | |
| Page Count: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2010 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Evaluative |
| Descriptors: | Decision Making, Selection, Cognitive Processes, Difficulty Level, Theories, Evidence, Individual Differences, Information Processing, Reaction Time, Time Management, Efficiency |
| DOI: | 10.1037/a0020198 |
| ISSN: | 0096-3445 |
| Abstract: | Behavioral and economic theories have long maintained that actions are chosen so as to minimize demands for exertion or work, a principle sometimes referred to as the "law of less work". The data supporting this idea pertain almost entirely to demands for physical effort. However, the same minimization principle has often been assumed also to apply to cognitive demand. The authors set out to evaluate the validity of this assumption. In 6 behavioral experiments, participants chose freely between courses of action associated with different levels of demand for controlled information processing. Together, the results of these experiments revealed a bias in favor of the less demanding course of action. The bias was obtained across a range of choice settings and demand manipulations and was not wholly attributable to strategic avoidance of errors, minimization of time on task, or maximization of the rate of goal achievement. It is remarkable that the effect also did not depend on awareness of the demand manipulation. Consistent with a motivational account, avoidance of demand displayed sensitivity to task incentives and covaried with individual differences in the efficacy of executive control. The findings reported, together with convergent neuroscientific evidence, lend support to the idea that anticipated cognitive demand plays a significant role in behavioral decision making. (Contains 2 tables and 7 figures.) |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 90 |
| Entry Date: | 2011 |
| Accession Number: | EJ931842 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Behavioral and economic theories have long maintained that actions are chosen so as to minimize demands for exertion or work, a principle sometimes referred to as the "law of less work". The data supporting this idea pertain almost entirely to demands for physical effort. However, the same minimization principle has often been assumed also to apply to cognitive demand. The authors set out to evaluate the validity of this assumption. In 6 behavioral experiments, participants chose freely between courses of action associated with different levels of demand for controlled information processing. Together, the results of these experiments revealed a bias in favor of the less demanding course of action. The bias was obtained across a range of choice settings and demand manipulations and was not wholly attributable to strategic avoidance of errors, minimization of time on task, or maximization of the rate of goal achievement. It is remarkable that the effect also did not depend on awareness of the demand manipulation. Consistent with a motivational account, avoidance of demand displayed sensitivity to task incentives and covaried with individual differences in the efficacy of executive control. The findings reported, together with convergent neuroscientific evidence, lend support to the idea that anticipated cognitive demand plays a significant role in behavioral decision making. (Contains 2 tables and 7 figures.) |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0096-3445 |
| DOI: | 10.1037/a0020198 |
