IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nathum/v4y2020i6d10.1038_s41562-020-0822-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Value-based attention but not divisive normalization influences decisions with multiple alternatives

Author

Listed:
  • Sebastian Gluth

    (University of Basel)

  • Nadja Kern

    (University of Basel)

  • Maria Kortmann

    (University of Basel)

  • Cécile L. Vitali

    (University of Basel)

Abstract

Violations of economic rationality principles in choices between three or more options are critical for understanding the neural and cognitive mechanisms of decision-making. A recent study reported that the relative choice accuracy between two options decreases as the value of a third (distractor) option increases and attributed this effect to divisive normalization of neural value representations. In two preregistered experiments, a direct replication and an eye-tracking experiment, we assessed the replicability of this effect and tested an alternative account that assumes value-based attention to mediate the distractor effect. Surprisingly, we could not replicate the distractor effect in our experiments. However, we found a dynamic influence of distractor value on fixations to distractors as predicted by the value-based attention theory. Computationally, we show that extending an established sequential sampling decision-making model by a value-based attention mechanism offers a comprehensive account of the interplay between value, attention, response times and decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Gluth & Nadja Kern & Maria Kortmann & Cécile L. Vitali, 2020. "Value-based attention but not divisive normalization influences decisions with multiple alternatives," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(6), pages 634-645, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:4:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-020-0822-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0822-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-020-0822-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41562-020-0822-0?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.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xiaozhi Yang & Ian Krajbich, 2021. "Webcam-based online eye-tracking for behavioral research," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 16(6), pages 1485-1505, November.
    2. repec:jdm:journl:v:17:y:2022:i:6:p:1287-1312 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Liz Izakson & Yoav Zeevi & Dino J Levy, 2020. "Attraction to similar options: The Gestalt law of proximity is related to the attraction effect," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(10), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Frederick Callaway & Antonio Rangel & Thomas L Griffiths, 2021. "Fixation patterns in simple choice reflect optimal information sampling," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(3), pages 1-29, March.
    5. Amasino, Dianna R. & Dolgin, Jack & Huettel, Scott A., 2023. "Eyes on the account size: Interactions between attention and budget in consumer choice," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Glimcher, Paul W. & Tymula, Agnieszka A., 2023. "Expected subjective value theory (ESVT): A representation of decision under risk and certainty," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 110-128.
    7. Michel Wedel & Rik Pieters & Ralf Lans, 2023. "Modeling Eye Movements During Decision Making: A Review," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 88(2), pages 697-729, June.
    8. repec:cup:judgdm:v:17:y:2022:i:6:p:1287-1312 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Jan Engelmann & Alejandro Hirmas & Joël van der Weele, 2021. "Top Down or Bottom Up? Disentangling the Channels of Attention in Risky Choice," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 21-031/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    10. repec:cup:judgdm:v:16:y:2021:i:6:p:1485-1505 is not listed on IDEAS

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:nat:nathum:v:4:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-020-0822-0. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    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.