Tracing the Impact of Item-by-Item Information Accessing on Uncertainty Reduction

Abstract

The impact of item-by-item information accessing on uncertainty reduction is studied under self-selected and researcher-constrained information accessing. Study 1 showed that, at both the aggregate and the individual level, subjective uncertainty reduction assumes several distinct patterns, with the dominant pattern conforming to an accelerating or linear power function. Study 2 revealed that different subjective-uncertainty-reduction patterns tend to be associated with within-options versus within-properties searches. Implications of the findings and the procedure are discussed.