糖心TV

Daniel Navarro-Martinez (UPF)

Uncertainty Regulation Theory: How the feeling of uncertainty shapes decision making

I will present a theory of decision-making behavior based on the idea that when people find themselves in a situation in which they have to make a choice, they experience to some degree a feeling of uncertainty. Regulating that feeling, usually by trying to reduce it, is proposed to be a fundamental motivation in decision-making processes. I will illustrate how such an uncertainty-regulation principle can explain and unify a large number of well-known decision-making phenomena, many of which have been given diverse explanations. The theory does also make unique predictions about how those phenomena are affected by changes in the feeling of uncertainty experienced in decision situations. I will also present some experimental evidence that confirms the predictions of the theory.

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