Data from: Delegating decisions: recruiting others to make choices we might regret
Data files
Jul 17, 2018 version files 1 MB
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README_for_Study 0 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
50.19 KB
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README_for_Study 1A Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
35.10 KB
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README_for_Study 1B Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
42.97 KB
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README_for_Study 1C Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
45.64 KB
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README_for_Study 4 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
50.95 KB
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README_for_Study 5 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
50.35 KB
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README_for_Study 6 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
46.46 KB
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Study 0 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
61.08 KB
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Study 1A Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
43.92 KB
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Study 1B Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
48.14 KB
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Study 1C Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
52.38 KB
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Study 2 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
79.71 KB
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Study 3 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
86.62 KB
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Study 4 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
162.56 KB
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Study 5 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
99.76 KB
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Study 6 Delegation JCR 06-07-2017.xlsx
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Abstract
Consumers typically prefer freedom of choice, but when faced with a choice they might regret, they may prefer freedom from choice. Eight experiments show that people delegate difficult decisions, regardless of the decision’s importance, and regardless of their potential surrogate’s expertise. Delegation stems from a desire to avoid responsibility for potentially making the wrong choice rather than simply the desire to avoid the possibility of a poor outcome: although anticipated disappointment with the outcome and anticipated regret about one’s decision both contribute to the decision to delegate, only anticipated regret directly leads people to delegate choices to others. Consequently, delegation is an appealing method for coping with difficult choices while allowing consumers to retain the benefits of choosing that they would forgo by opting out of the choice. Moreover, giving people the option to delegate makes them less prone to walk away from difficult choices empty-handed.