Risky-choice framing and its null effect on integral emotions

The effects of risky-choice framing are well-established and have been demonstrated in several decision contexts. Recent research has pointed to a role for affect and emotions in risky-choice framing, but those findings may have been influenced by carry-over effects due to the use of multiple decision problems. In a one-off decision, the effects of risky-choice framing on affect and emotions remain unclear. This article extends the risky-choice framing literature by using the Emotion-Imbued Choice model to investigate whether integral fear and anger can account for the effects of risky-choice framing in a one-off decision. In two studies involving a one-off decision about internet connectivity and human lives respectively, we expected higher levels of integral fear in participants who chose the certain option in the positive framing condition as compared to the negative framing condition, and also higher levels of integral anger in participants who chose the risky option in the negative framing condition as compared to the positive framing condition. Our findings did not support these hypotheses and suggest that the effects of risky-choice framing are not due to integral emotions. We explained our findings by proposing that the choice architecture involved in risky-choice framing prevents integral emotions from becoming attached to the choice options because it offers a less effortful decision tactic than considering one’s emotional response to those options. We call for future research to investigate this possibility and to also consider the demand characteristics of conducting risky-choice framing problems online.