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Uncertainty Increases the Reliance on Affect in Decisions

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  • Ali Faraji-Rad
  • Michel Tuan Pham

Abstract

How do psychological states of uncertainty influence the way people make decisions? We propose that such states increase the reliance on affective inputs in judgments and decisions. In accord with this proposition, results from six studies show that the priming of uncertainty (vs. certainty) consistently increases the effects of a variety of affective inputs on consumers’ judgments and decisions. Primed uncertainty is shown to amplify the effects of the pleasantness of a musical soundtrack (study 1), the attractiveness of a picture (study 2), the appeal of affective attributes (studies 3 and 4), incidental mood states (study 6), and even incidental states of disgust (study 5). Moreover, both negative and positive uncertainty increase the influence of affect in decisions (study 4). The results additionally show that the increased reliance on affective inputs under uncertainty does not necessarily come at the expense of a reliance on descriptive attribute information (studies 2 and 5), and that the increased reliance on affect under uncertainty is distinct from a general reliance on heuristic or peripheral cues (study 6). The phenomenon may be due to uncertainty threatening the self, thereby encouraging a reliance on inputs that are closer to the self and have high subjective validity.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali Faraji-Rad & Michel Tuan Pham, 2017. "Uncertainty Increases the Reliance on Affect in Decisions," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(1), pages 1-21.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:44:y:2017:i:1:p:1-21.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jcr/ucw073
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    14. Ahmadi, Iman & Habel, Johannes & Jia, Miaolei & Wei, Sarah, 2022. "Consumer stockpiling under the impact of a global disaster: The evolution of affective and cognitive motives," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 56-71.
    15. Septianto, Felix & Chiew, Tung Moi & Thai, Nguyen T., 2020. "The congruence effect between product emotional appeal and country-based emotion: The moderating role of country-of-origin," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
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    19. Leon Zolotoy & Don O’Sullivan & Myeong-Gu Seo & Madhu Veeraraghavan, 2021. "Mood and Ethical Decision Making: Positive Affect and Corporate Philanthropy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(1), pages 189-208, June.
    20. Freling, Traci H. & Yang, Zhiyong & Saini, Ritesh & Itani, Omar S. & Rashad Abualsamh, Ryan, 2020. "When poignant stories outweigh cold hard facts: A meta-analysis of the anecdotal bias," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 51-67.
    21. Mariela E Jaffé & Leonie Reutner & Rainer Greifeneder, 2019. "Catalyzing decisions: How a coin flip strengthens affective reactions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(8), pages 1-14, August.
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    24. Tassiello, Vito & Tillotson, Jack S., 2020. "How subjective knowledge influences intention to travel," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    25. Wen, Xiaohan (Hannah) & Kim, Shinhye & Bowen, Melanie, 2023. "Doing good by sharing messages: An investigation of “You Share, We Donate” campaigns and how they can attain viral success," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).

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