Information Displays and Preference Reversals

Preference reversals occur when a decision maker prefers one option to another in one response mode but reverses that ordering when preferences are elicited in another response mode. We report the results of two experiments which significantly impact the frequency of preference reversals. Specifically, when the probabilities are displayed in a format which appears harder to process, the frequency of reversals is increased. Process-tracing evidence suggests that decision-makers also shifted information processing strategies as a function of information format. We discuss the implications for theories of preference reversals and strategy selection, and for the design of information displays.