Dimensional commensurability and cue utilization in comparative judgment

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Date

1974

Authors

Slovic, Paul
MacPhillamy, Douglas

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Organizational Behavior and Human Performance

Abstract

Subjects compared pairs of students with respect to potential college GPA. Both students had scores on one common dimension (e.g., Englist skills) and a unique dimension (e.g., Quantitative Aptitude for Student A and Need to Achieve Success for Student B). The common dimension was weighted more heavily in the comparison than were the unique dimensions. Cautioning subjects not to overweight the common dimension did not reduce the effect. In addition, the effect was equally strong whether or not the various dimensions had equal means and standard deviations. Comparisons between two stimuli along the same dimension are easier, cognitively, than comparisons between dimensions, and this commensurability factor apparently led subjects to give more weight to the common dimension. The results are congruent with a growing body of research that documents man's difficulties in processing information. Implications for applied decision making are briefly discussed.

Description

40 pages

Keywords

Decision making, Factor analysis, Reasoning

Citation

Slovic, P., & MacPhillamy, D. J. (1974). Dimensional commensurability and cue utilization in comparative judgment. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 11, 172-194.