The Evaluability Hypothesis: An Explanation for Preference Reversals between Joint and Separate Evaluations of Alternatives

11 Pages Posted: 11 Oct 2006

See all articles by Christopher K. Hsee

Christopher K. Hsee

University of Chicago - Booth School of Business

Abstract

This research investigates a particular type of preference reversal (PR), existing between joint evaluation, where two stimulus options are evaluated side by side simultaneously, and separate evaluation,where these options are evaluated separately.I first examine how this PR differs from other types of PRs and review studies demonstrating this PR. I then propose and explanation,called the evaluability hypothesis, and report experiments that tested this hypothesis. According to this hypothesis,PRs between joint and separate evaluations occur because one of the attributes involved in the options is hard to evaluate independently and another attribute is relatively easy to evaluate inependently.I conclude by discussing prescriptive implications of this research.

Keywords: evaluability, joint evaluation, separate evaluation, preference reversal, dominance violation

JEL Classification: D81, D11, D12, D91

Suggested Citation

Hsee, Christopher K., The Evaluability Hypothesis: An Explanation for Preference Reversals between Joint and Separate Evaluations of Alternatives. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Vol. 67, No. 3, 1996, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=930092

Christopher K. Hsee (Contact Author)

University of Chicago - Booth School of Business ( email )

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