Motivated reasoning, information avoidance, and default bias

Arbeitspapier

We investigate whether the presence of a default interacts with the willingness of decision-makers to gather, process and consider information. In an online experiment, where about 2,300 participants choose between two compiled charity donation options worth $100, we vary the availability of information and the presence of a default. Information avoidance, when possible, increases default effects considerably, manifesting a hitherto undocumented channel of the default bias. Moreover, we show that defaults trigger motivated reasoning: In the presence of a default - even if self-selected-, participants consider new information to a lower degree than without a preselected option.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Working Papers in Economics and Statistics ; No. 2022-05

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Design of Experiments: General ; Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers ; Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness ; Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making‡
• Subject: Motivated reasoning ; information avoidance ; defaults ; status quo ; charitable giving ; experiment

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Momsen, Katharina ; Schneider, Sebastian O.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): University of Innsbruck, Research Platform Empirical and Experimental Economics (eeecon)
• (where): Innsbruck
• (when): 2022

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/273678
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET