People use less information than they think to make up their minds

Klein, Nadav; O’Brien, Ed

doi:10.1073/pnas.1805327115

Cited by 42 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The resulting predictions (for example, regarding group membership) serve as split-second judgments we make about what this person might be like, including whether they are trustworthy, competent, kind or threatening 60–63 . These automatic early impressions are largely unaffected by other ongoing processes 64,65 , and they form strong priors based on the features of the person and their environment, collectively constraining our predictions about that person 66 (Fig. 2).…”

Section: How Do People Resolve Social Uncertainty? a Model Of Social mentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving uncertainty in a social world

2019

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Consider the range of social behaviours we engage in every day. In each case, there are a multitude of unknowns, reflecting the many sources of uncertainty inherent to social inference. We describe how uncertainty manifests in social environments (the thoughts and intentions of others are largely hidden, making it difficult to predict a person's behaviour) and why people are motivated to reduce the aversive feelings generated by uncertainty. We propose a three-part model whereby social uncertainty is initially reduced through automatic modes of inference (such as impression formation) before more control-demanding modes of inference (such as perspective-taking) are deployed to narrow one's predictions even more. Finally, social uncertainty is attenuated further through learning processes that update these predictions based on new information. Our framework integrates research across fields to offer an account of the mechanisms motivating social cognition and action, laying the groundwork for future experiments that can illuminate the impact of uncertainty on social cognition. We are often faced with decisions that require us to consider our effect on others, as well as their effect on us. To date, research exploring social decision-making has focused on the vital role of reward and punishment in guiding choice. A large body of work now demonstrates that these decisions are driven by the same reward-related computations and neural circuitry as non-social decisions 1,2. However, there is another critical-and equally potent-motivator of social behaviour: the desire to reduce uncertainty 3-6. Interacting with others is one of the most inherently uncertain acts humans embark on. There are a multitude of unknowns, whether it is choosing how to express ourselves 7 , who to confide in 8 , how reliable an individual is 9,10 or whether to engage in risky behaviour with our peers 11,12. The information we bring to bear on each of these decisions-from the expected trustworthiness or competence of others 8,13 to their anticipated reactions to an offcolour joke-relies on uncertain estimates 14. It is therefore critical to our productivity, wellbeing and ultimately our survival as social beings to constantly estimate these uncertainties and find ways to reduce them 15 .

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Section: How Do People Resolve Social Uncertainty? a Model Of Social mentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving uncertainty in a social world

2019

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“…Such a taxonomy might include not only people's actual experiences of repeat value across different stimuli, but also include their anticipated reactions—as people often struggle to distinguish beforehand which kinds of stimuli are worth sticking with versus abandoning (Klein & O’Brien, 2018). Documenting systematic discrepancies in perceived versus actual repeat value would allow for the development of strategies for helping people more wisely allocate their time.…”

Section: Present Advances and Future Directions In Research On Repeatmentioning

confidence: 99%

A mind stretched: The psychology of repeat consumption

O’Brien

2020

Consumer Psychology Review

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Repeat consumption refers to re‐experiencing an enjoyable stimulus in order to enjoy it again. We rewatch the same shows, reread the same stories, and revisit the same cities; we play our favorite songs on loop and stick to our secret spots in town. When and why do people engage in repeat consumption, and what actually happens in our psychological experience (e.g., attention, enjoyment) upon doing so? This article reviews burgeoning research shedding light on these questions. First, I establish repeat consumption as a distinct construct. Second, I highlight an emerging perspective: Repeat consumption is not so repetitive after all. Not only does repetition reveal new things within the stimulus—dubbed stimulus‐level novelty (e.g., upon rewatching a movie, we notice missed details and new connections)—but we also learn new things about ourselves in the process—dubbed self‐level novelty (e.g., “I must really be committed!”). This model qualifies traditionally grim understandings of hedonic adaptation and exposure effects; people derive greater utility from the old and familiar than assumed. Third, I highlight future research directions, including the need for a clearer taxonomy of repeat value and implications for maximizing utility. Exciting discoveries lie ahead if we return to where we have already been.

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“…My laboratory has documented tipping points in more than 30 experiments testing more than 5,000 participants (Klein & O’Brien, 2016, 2018, 2019; O’Brien & Klein, 2017). The primary paradigm is behavioral: Participants view piecemeal evidence for a pattern and after each piece choose whether to observe the next piece or to end their search.…”

Section: What Are Tipping Points?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…People predict slower tipping points than they express, regardless of valence (Klein & O’Brien, 2018, 2019); people predict that they will patiently observe many pieces of evidence before their impressions “officially” form and change, yet in actuality they make up their minds right away. Figure 3 shows the effect across three of our studies.…”

Section: Discoveries So Farmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Small Signs of Change Add Up: The Psychology of Tipping Points

O’Brien

2019

Curr Dir Psychol Sci

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Things change, but the exact point at which they do is often unknown. After how many loveless nights is a relationship “officially” in trouble? After how many happy days has one’s depression “officially” passed? When do recurring patterns in the climate or economy “officially” warrant a response? When is a person’s identity “officially” accepted? Everyday fluctuations in oneself and the social world create ambiguities about when people will diagnose lasting, qualitative change (and therefore act). Recent research documents these tipping points of change as a psychological process, shaped by individual and situational forces. People judge tipping points asymmetrically across valence and asymmetrically across time. Here, I review discoveries and outline future directions in tipping-points research.

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People use less information than they think to make up their minds

Cited by 42 publications

References 36 publications

Resolving uncertainty in a social world

Resolving uncertainty in a social world

A mind stretched: The psychology of repeat consumption

When Small Signs of Change Add Up: The Psychology of Tipping Points

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