A meta-analysis of extremeness aversion

摘要: Using a meta-analysis of 142 experimental observations, this work examines the influence different research design and outcome measures on extremeness aversion (i.e., propensity to avoid extreme options in choice situations). The results indicate that is robust phenomenon: middle are significantly more often selected than other options. However, strength behavioral effect exhibits substantial variation (up three times average magnitude) across methodological decisions: employing price-quality tradeoffs, nondurable categories, or binary-trinary choice-set comparisons tend reduce probability among consumers, whereas using larger number tradeoff dimensions, non-numeric attributes, high-quality extensions, utilitarian products increase its likelihood. Because has been assessed measurement paradigms (absolute-share changes, relative-share shifts, middle-option proportions), we discuss their characteristics investigate degree agreement. We find can lead rather magnitudes even contradictory conclusions about moderators.