Attention and Dread: Experimental Evidence on Preferences for Information

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Falk, Armin; Zimmermann, Florian
• 署名单位: University of Bonn
• 刊物名称: MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0025-1909
• DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2023.4975
• 发表日期: 2024
• 页码: 7090-7100
• 关键词: anticipatory utility; Information preferences; attention; experiments

摘要

Recent models assume that the anticipation of future consumption can have direct utility consequences. This gives rise to preferences over the timing and structure of information. Using a novel and purposefully simple setup, we study the determinants of preferences for sooner versus later information. Our main results are as follows. We find that the majority of subjects prefer receiving information sooner. This preference, however, is not uniform but depends on the context. When the environment allows subjects to not focus attention on (negative) consumption events, later information becomes more attractive. Finally, variations in prior beliefs do not seem to have strong effects on information preferences.