Single-Option Aversion

doi:10.1086/671343

Single-Option Aversion

2013-10-01

34

PRE

AI

D

Daniel Mochon *

DOI：10.1086/671343

Original

Original request for help

Save

Abstract

En 中文

This article documents single-option aversion, an increase in consumers' desire to search when faced with a single option. This effect can lead to a product being chosen more often when competing alternatives are included in the choice set, contrary to various rational models of search, as well as to recent research on choice conflict showing that additional options can lead to higher deferral rates. A series of lab studies document this effect, differentiate it from other context effects, and test some of its boundary conditions. The results suggest that single-option aversion is not driven by the information provided by the additional options, that the desire to search is critical for this effect to occur, and that the effects of single-option aversion are not limited to the immediate choice set. These results have both practical and theoretical implications for the understanding of consumer search and choice deferral.

Keywords:

NO-CHOICE OPTION

PREFERENCE REVERSALS

CONSUMER CHOICE

SEPARATE EVALUATIONS

THEORETICAL-ANALYSIS

EXTERNAL SEARCH

DECISION

INFORMATION

ALTERNATIVES

ATTRACTION

Single-Option Aversion

Abstract

Journal

Organization