The Institute of Information Systems has launched a new research project to understand user behavior in online settings, in particular mechanisms associated with the presentation of choices in online contexts (referred to as “choice architecture”). Choice architecture uses “nudges” such as incentives or feedback, often in public policy settings, and is concerned with making better decisions (as judged by the decision makers themselves).
To test the influence of design mechanisms on online behavior, the research project analyses online reviews. Online reviews typically explain and justify purchase decisions, but they are susceptible to cognitive biases, which can result in extreme ratings. For instance, ratings of other users may influence individual user ratings (i.e., social influence bias). Thus, the goal of the project is to test design modifications of online forms – for example, setting defaults on rating scales – to reduce common sources of such biases (such as availability or anchoring and adjustment).
