Hedonism as a motive for information search: biased information-seeking leads to biased beliefs

Abstract

Confirmation bias in information-search contributes to the formation of polarized echo-chambers of beliefs. However, the role of valence on information source selection remains poorly understood. In Experiment 1, participants won financial rewards depending on the outcomes of a set of lotteries. They were not shown these outcomes, but instead could choose to view a prediction of each lottery outcome made by one of two sources. Before choosing their favoured source, participants were first shown a series of example predictions made by each. The sources systematically varied in the accuracy and positivity (i.e., how often they predicted a win) of their predictions. Hierarchical Bayesian modeling indicated that both source accuracy and positivity impacted participants’ choices. Importantly, those that viewed more positively-biased information believed that they had won more often and had higher confidence in those beliefs. In Experiment 2, we directly assessed the effect of positivity on the perceived credibility of a source. In each trial, participants watched a single source making a series of predictions of lottery outcomes and rated the strength of their beliefs in each source. Interestingly, positively-biased sources were not seen as more credible. Together, these findings suggest that positively-biased information is sought partly due to the desirable emotional state it induces rather than having enhanced perceived credibility. Information sought on this basis nevertheless produced consequential biased beliefs about the world-state, highlighting a potentially key role for hedonic preferences in information selection and subsequent belief formation.

The neural basis of politically motivated reasoning.

“…According to this value-based account, the valence of the information or the identity of the source can hijack rational thinking processes and influence the belief formation process by activating brain areas that encode value, process reward, and motivate behavior. Neuroimaging evidence corroborates this view, as brain areas implicated in encoding value and reward processing, such as ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and ventral striatum (VS), are recruited when people conform to others' or ingroup's opinions 14,15 and when they compute the value of competing goals and beliefs 6,12,[16][17][18][19] .…”

Understanding Social Media Information Sharing in Individuals with Depression: Insights from the Elaboration Likelihood Model and Schema Activation Theory

“… 50 This tendency is especially pronounced during the stages of information processing, such as in the search and evaluation of information. 51 Thus, we propose that an individual’s self-schema impacts their information acquisition and processing, affecting their ISB.…”

Approaches to information-seeking behaviour in psychology: a comparison of early and contemporary studies

“…This is because such attempts are often ineffective (e.g., monitoring interoceptive activation will probably not prevent the onset of a panic attack), and despite individuals attempt to gain control, they turn out encountering the opposite result" (p. 5). Jiwa, et al (2023), presented participants with predictions of lottery outcomes from different sources, aiming to "to examine the role of the hedonic value of information on information search and belief formation" (Discussion, para. 1).…”