Eye-Tracking Reveals Processes that Enable Conjoint Choices to Become Increasingly Efficient with Practice

Abstract

Choice-based conjoint is a popular way to characterize consumers’ choices. Three eye-tracking studies reveal decision processes in conjoint choices that take less time and are more accurate with practice. We observe two simplification processes that are associated with greater speed and reliability. Alternative focus gradually shifts attention towards options that represent promising choices, while attribute focus directs attention to important attributes that are most likely to alter or confirm a decision. Alternative and attribute focus increase in intensity with practice. In terms of biases, we detect a small but consistent focus on positive aspects of the item chosen and negative aspects of the items not chosen. We also show that incidental exposures arising from the alternative first examined or from a central horizontal location increase attention but have a much more modest and often insignificant impact on conjoint choices. Overall, conjoint choice is revealed to be a process that is largely formed by goal-driven values that respondents bring to the task, one that is relatively free of distorting effects from task layout or random exposures.

Keywords: Eye-tracking, conjoint, choice models, attention, preference, incidental exposure, goal-driven processes, Poisson model

JEL Classification: C10, C11, C25, C31, C35, C91