Does Load Lead To Decision Bias Or Are We Biased Against Load?

The authors examine moderators of the impact of cognitive load on choice strategies and susceptibility to decision bias. In four studies, they investigate the conditions under which load increases the compromise effect. Overall, the research shows that the ultimate influence of load on bias is contingent on motivational factors that determine how choice processes would have progressed under conditions of no load. The findings indicate that there is no de facto impact of load on bias. Instead, the biasing effects of reduced resources are confined to consumers who have sufficient motivation to resolve choice problems and avoid biased choice outcomes. The implications of the research for the reliance on load to study consumer choice and for the two-system view of consumer decision making are discussed.