Effects of ego-depletion on choice behaviour in a multi-attribute decision task. Issue 3 (2nd April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dummel, Sebastian; Rummel, Jan
• Is Part Of: Journal of cognitive psychology. Volume 28:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 374
• Page End: 383
• Publication Date: 2016-04-02
• Subjects: Decision making -- heuristics -- self-control strength -- ego depletion; Cognitive psychology -- Periodicals; 153.05
• DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2015.1135929
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-5911

Abstract

ABSTRACT: When a choice has to be made between two options and decision-relevant information about the options is completely available, the Take-The-Best (TTB) heuristic only considers the most important information that discriminates between the options and bases its choice on it. Choices in line with TTB thus allow a decision maker to save time and effort, and they may become more likely therefore under conditions of limited self-control strength (ego-depletion). Ego-depletion was manipulated prior to making a series of choices in a multi-attribute decision task. Choices could have been in line with either TTB or more effortful compensatory decision strategies. As predicted, compared with non-depleted participants, ego-depleted participants were more likely to make TTB-consistent choices.