Context Dependent Utility: Modeling Decision Behavior Across Contexts

Abstract

One significant challenge in creating accurate models of human decision behavior is accounting for the effect of context. Research shows that seemingly minor changes in the presentation of a decision can lead to drastic shifts in behavior; phenomena collectively referred to as framing effects. Previous work has developed Context Dependent Utility (CDU), a framework integrating Appraisal Theory with decision-theoretic principles. This work extends existing research by presenting a study exploring the behavioral predictions offered by CDU regarding the multidimensional effect of context on decision behavior. The present study finds support for the predictions of CDU regarding the impact of context on decisions: 1) as perceptions of pleasantness increase, decision behavior tends towards risk-aversion; 2) as perceptions of goal-congruence increase, decision behavior tends towards risk-aversion; 3) as perceptions of controllability increase, i.e., perceptions that outcomes would have been primarily caused by the decision maker, behavior tends towards risk-seeking.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2013
Accession Number
AD1170850

Entities

People

  • Jonathan Ito
  • Stacy C. Marsella

Organizations

  • University of Southern California

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accounting
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Economics
  • Electronic Commerce
  • Human Behavior
  • Judgment
  • Money
  • Perception
  • Probability
  • Psychology
  • Risk
  • Schools
  • Social Psychology
  • Standards
  • Students
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Uncertainty
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Systems Analysis and Design