Wisdom and aging: Irrational preferences in college students but not older adults

Katya Tentori; Daniel Osherson; Lynn Hasher; Cynthia May

doi:10.1016/S0010-0277(01)00137-8

Wisdom and aging: Irrational preferences in college students but not older adults

Katya Tentori, Daniel Osherson, Lynn Hasher, Cynthia May

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

67 Scopus citations

Abstract

A decision-maker is "irregular" if she would choose B from {A, B, C} but not from {A, B} (for example, preferring vanilla ice cream in a choice between vanilla and chocolate, but chocolate in a choice among vanilla, chocolate and strawberry). Similarly to previous studies we observed irregular choices by college students faced with hypothetical discount cards for supermarkets. However, older adults showed no such tendency. The same pattern was observed in three separate studies. We interpret the results in terms of a choice strategy by older adults that protects them from excessive spending.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	B87-B96
Journal	Cognition
Volume	81
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(01)00137-8
State	Published - 2001

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Language and Linguistics
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Linguistics and Language
Cognitive Neuroscience

Keywords

College students
Irrational preferences
Older adults
Wisdom and aging

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10.1016/S0010-0277(01)00137-8

Cite this

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title = "Wisdom and aging: Irrational preferences in college students but not older adults",

abstract = "A decision-maker is {"}irregular{"} if she would choose B from {A, B, C} but not from {A, B} (for example, preferring vanilla ice cream in a choice between vanilla and chocolate, but chocolate in a choice among vanilla, chocolate and strawberry). Similarly to previous studies we observed irregular choices by college students faced with hypothetical discount cards for supermarkets. However, older adults showed no such tendency. The same pattern was observed in three separate studies. We interpret the results in terms of a choice strategy by older adults that protects them from excessive spending.",

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author = "Katya Tentori and Daniel Osherson and Lynn Hasher and Cynthia May",

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AU - Tentori, Katya

AU - Osherson, Daniel

AU - Hasher, Lynn

AU - May, Cynthia

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported in part by the National Institute on Aging, grant R37 4306.

PY - 2001

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N2 - A decision-maker is "irregular" if she would choose B from {A, B, C} but not from {A, B} (for example, preferring vanilla ice cream in a choice between vanilla and chocolate, but chocolate in a choice among vanilla, chocolate and strawberry). Similarly to previous studies we observed irregular choices by college students faced with hypothetical discount cards for supermarkets. However, older adults showed no such tendency. The same pattern was observed in three separate studies. We interpret the results in terms of a choice strategy by older adults that protects them from excessive spending.

AB - A decision-maker is "irregular" if she would choose B from {A, B, C} but not from {A, B} (for example, preferring vanilla ice cream in a choice between vanilla and chocolate, but chocolate in a choice among vanilla, chocolate and strawberry). Similarly to previous studies we observed irregular choices by college students faced with hypothetical discount cards for supermarkets. However, older adults showed no such tendency. The same pattern was observed in three separate studies. We interpret the results in terms of a choice strategy by older adults that protects them from excessive spending.

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Wisdom and aging: Irrational preferences in college students but not older adults

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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