How Distinct are Intuition and Deliberation? An eye-tracking Analysis of instruction-induced Decision Modes

In recent years, numerous studies comparing intuition and deliberation have been published. However, relatively little is known about the cognitive processes underlying the two decision modes. In two studies, we analyzed the effects of decision mode instructions on processes of information search an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Judgment and Decision Making Vol. 4; no. 5; pp. 335 - 354
Main Authors: Horstmann, Nina, Ahlgrimm, Andrea, Glöckner, Andreas
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Tallahassee Society for Judgment and Decision Making 01.08.2009
Cambridge University Press
Series:Judgment and Decision Making
Subjects:
Cognition & reasoning
Decision making
decision mode
deliberation
eye-tracking.
eye-tracking.NAKeywords
Information processing
intuition
Investigations
decision mode
eye-tracking
Decision making
intuition
deliberation
ISSN:1930-2975, 1930-2975
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In recent years, numerous studies comparing intuition and deliberation have been published. However, relatively little is known about the cognitive processes underlying the two decision modes. In two studies, we analyzed the effects of decision mode instructions on processes of information search and integration, using eye-tracking technology in a between-participants (Study 1) and a within-participants (Study 2) design. Our findings indicate that the instruction to deliberate does not necessarily lead to qualitatively different information processing compared to the instruction to decide intuitively. We found no difference in mean fixation duration and the distribution of short, medium and long fixations. Short fixations in particular prevailed under both decision mode instructions, while long fixations indicating a conscious and calculation-based information processing were rarely observed. Instruction-induced deliberation led to a higher number of fixations, a more complete information search and more repeated information inspections. We interpret our findings as support for the hypothesis that intuitive and deliberate decision modes share the same basic processes which are supplemented by additional operations in the deliberate decision mode.
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ISSN:1930-2975
1930-2975
DOI:10.1017/s1930297500001182