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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: PDF
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
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  Data: 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
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  Data: 10.1037/a0020198
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  Data: 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.)
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      – SubjectFull: Selection
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      – SubjectFull: Cognitive Processes
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      – SubjectFull: Evidence
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      – SubjectFull: Information Processing
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      – SubjectFull: Reaction Time
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      – SubjectFull: Time Management
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      – SubjectFull: Efficiency
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      – TitleFull: Decision Making and the Avoidance of Cognitive Demand
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