Leader-focused search: The impact of an emerging preference on information search

Kurt A. Carlson and Abhijit Guha

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2011, vol. 115, issue 1, 133-141

Abstract: This article examines the influence an emerging preference (i.e., a leader) has on predecisional information search. We explore two possibilities. First, decision makers may seek information they expect will support their leader (leader-supporting search). Second, decision makers may seek information about their leader, irrespective of the expected valence of the information (leader-focused search). Across various studies, product domains and experimental designs, we consistently find that decision makers engage in leader-focused search, not leader-supporting search. We also find that leader-focused search can steer decision makers towards information sources that are less important, less credible, and objectively suboptimal.

Keywords: Selective; exposure; Focalism; Information; search (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:115:y:2011:i:1:p:133-141

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