The Role of Common Features in Decision Conflict Resolution

During decision conflict resolution, features that are shared among alternatives are thought to cancel out and not play any role in choice because they are non-diagnostic; only the unique features help the consumer make a decision. In this research, we specifically examine how features that are shared among alternatives affect decision difficulty. Our results indicate that common attributes do matter; they do not simply cancel out. Further, how common attributes matter seems to depend on the type of decision conflict. Under approach-approach conflict, common attributes enhance the perceived advantage; thereby increasing the ease in decision-making. However, under avoidance-avoidance conflict, common attributes seem to enhance the perceived disadvantage, thereby increasing decision difficulty.