Preference Reversals: Violations of Unidimensional Procedure Invariance
August 1997
Book
| Related Files |
|---|
View PDF Version
(PreferenceReversals_1997.pdf, 1.0MB) |
Preference reversals have usually been explained by weighted additive models, in which different tasks give rise to different importance weights for the stimulus attributes, resulting in contradictory trade-offs. This article presents a preference reversal of a more extreme nature. Let (10, 5 Migr) denote living 10 years with a migraine for 5 days per week. Many participants preferred (10, 5 Migr) to (20, 5 Migr). However, when asked to equate these two options with a shorter period of good health, they usually demanded more healthy life years for (20, 5 Migr) than for (10, 5 Migr). This preference reversal within a single dimension cannot be explained by different importance weights and suggests irrationalities at a more fundamental level. Most participants did not change their responses after being confronted with their inconsistencies.
- participant
- preference
- preference reversals
- health
- reversal
- state
- experiment
- duration
- health states
- equivalent
- choice
- x /y ratios
- outcome
- value
- preference reversal
- theory
- scale
- slovic
- procedure
- decision
