Attribute Scatter and Decision Outcome: Judgment versus Choice

This paper demonstrates that in multiattribute decisions, the mode of response (judgment vs choice) influences the outcome of decisions. This influence depends on the scatter, or internal variability, of attribute values. In decisions to accept, there is a higher preference towards high scatter profiles in judgment than in choice, while in decisions to reject, there is only a small difference between the two. Moreover, in judgment there is a higher preference toward high scatter profiles in acceptance decisions than in rejection decisions, while in choice there is a lower preference toward high scatter profiles in acceptance decisions than in rejection decisions. The processes that lead to these effects are discussed.