Predictors of Information Avoidance: When Does Ignorance Seem Most Blissful?

Abstract

People frequently face unknown information that has the potential to threaten their views of themselves or others. Two studies investigated the predictors of information avoidance in the context of a romantic relationship (Study 1) and ratings of physical attractiveness (Study 2). Results revealed that compared to information seekers, information avoiders tended to expect greater benefits and fewer costs from the information, anticipate less regret over avoiding and more regret over seeking the information, and perceive greater control and coping ability. Avoiders and seekers did not differ in their expectations about the content of information. Finally, although avoiders and seekers differed in many of their information perceptions, only perceived benefits and anticipated regret over avoiding the information independently predicted avoidance decisions.

Keywords:

• Anticipated regret
• Decision making
• Information avoidance
• Information seeking

Notes

One outlier was dropped from the analyses due to anticipated regret estimates that fell more than 3 SDs outside of the mean.

Due to a clerical error, we were unable to examine the ratings of 35 participants. However, none of our effects differed between this group and the group for which we have ratings, so we have no reason to suspect that our results for the ratings would be different with the missing data included.

Although we do not report the results of this study here, we also conducted a retrospective study in which participants recalled both a time they avoided information and a time they sought information. The results of the retrospective study were consistent with the results presented in this paper, further confirming the robustness of our findings.