Increasing students' choice‐making consistency: The effect of decision rule‐use training

Abstract

The present study examined the extent to which the inability to translate decisionally revelant information into matrix form and knowledge about decision rule use act as impediments to consistent choice‐making. Participants were provided with five decision making cases in written paragraph form and no instruction, five decision making cases accompanied by the data in matrix form and no instruction, the paragraph form cases and one hour of instruction including the selection and calculation of decision rules or matrix information and instruction. Results indicate that instruction, in decision matrix construction and decision rule application, increases students' decision making consistency. The advisability of advocating particular rules and the merits of consistency are discussed.