IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eejocm/v55y2025ics1755534525000120.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring the choice landscape: Anchoring and framing effects on search behavior in complex choices

Author

Listed:
  • Gurney, Nikolos
  • Miller, John H.
  • Pynadath, David V.

Abstract

Complex choices entail consideration of multiple variables characterized by non-linear interactions. Prior research into such choices neglects two categories of major choice determinants: heuristics and biases. Our research integrates such behavioral determinants of decision making into the study of complex choices. We approach this challenge using a new experimental paradigm in which participants tune on-screen dials representing choice variables. Through their tuning efforts, participants can discover information about the choice space. Specifically, this paradigm allows us to document how anchoring and framing effects impact complex choice processes. We find that loss framing incites participants to expend more effort exploring choice variables before selecting an option. An aspirational anchor, on the other hand, correlates with decreased search effort. Additionally, when participants did not have an aspirational anchor, the data suggest they anchor on prior experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Gurney, Nikolos & Miller, John H. & Pynadath, David V., 2025. "Exploring the choice landscape: Anchoring and framing effects on search behavior in complex choices," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eejocm:v:55:y:2025:i:c:s1755534525000120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jocm.2025.100549
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755534525000120
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jocm.2025.100549?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eejocm:v:55:y:2025:i:c:s1755534525000120. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-choice-modelling .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.