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Predicting Preferences: An Examination of Agent Learning

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Author Info
West, Patricia M
Abstract

Agent decision making occurs when an individual acts as a purchasing agent for another. Effective agent decision making requires that the agent learn to predict the target's preferences. Two experimental studies demonstrate the impact of providing agents veridical feedback. The results further our understanding of interpersonal prediction and learning from experience. Agents who are given the opportunity to learn from their own successes and failures do not exhibit the false consensus effect, or projection, that has been demonstrated in previous research. Any facilitative effect of similarity in tastes on predictive accuracy disappears when feedback is provided. Information theory is used to establish the informational value of individual instances, as well as an overall distribution of feedback. The results of the studies reported in the present article indicate that agents spend significantly more time considering informative than uninformative feedback, which improves their predictive accuracy. Copyright 1996 by the University of Chicago.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by University of Chicago Press in its journal Journal of Consumer Research.

Volume (Year): 23 (1996)
Issue (Month): 1 (June)
Pages: 68-80
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Handle: RePEc:ucp:jconrs:v:23:y:1996:i:1:p:68-80

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  1. Ivo Bischoff, 2008. "Endowment effect theory, prediction bias and publicly provided goods: an experimental study," Environmental & Resource Economics, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 39(3), pages 283-296, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Simonson, Itamar, 2003. "Determinants of Customers' Responses to Customized Offers: Conceptual Framework and Research Propositions," Research Papers 1794, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business. [Downloadable!]
  3. Andrew Gershoff & Ashesh Mukherjee & Anirban Mukhopadhyay, 2006. "“I love it” or “I hate it”? The positivity effect in stated preferences for agent evaluation," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 103-117, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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