Information Seeking after Decisions

Abstract
The present experiment attempted to determine whether preference for information that is supportive or nonsupportive of a decision differs when (a) the decision is reversible instead of irreversible and (b) when the information to be chosen is old instead of new. It was found that subjects' preference for decision-supportive information was generally stronger after irreversible decisions than after reversible ones. The results also showed an interaction between reversibility and information novelty, that is, the preference for supportive over nonsupportive information was higher for irreversible than for reversible decisions under new information conditions; however, there was no difference under the old information conditions. The results are interpreted in terms of dissonance theory.

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