Choice, Rejection, and Elaboration on Preference-Inconsistent Alternatives

Previous research has demonstrated that rejecting product alternatives (i.e., choosing which alternatives to give up) may cause preference reversals compared to choosing alternatives. We provide an investigation into the psychological processes underlying this phenomenon. These preference reversals can be caused by increased elaboration on the features of preference-inconsistent alternatives when people reject alternatives. When these features are appealing, increased elaboration increases preference for preference-inconsistent alternatives. When these features are unappealing, increased elaboration may reduce preference for preference-inconsistent alternatives. The findings provide insight into how the amount of elaboration on product alternatives may mediate the influence of different decision-making tasks on decision outcomes.