Decision Difficulty: Effects of Procedural and Outcome Accountability

We propose that accountability type moderates the perceived difficulty of choosing from worse than reference or better than reference options. Study 1 demonstrates that the difference in perceived difficulty for deciding between such options is attenuated under procedural accountability but enhanced under outcome accountability. Study 2 shows that the differential effect accountability type is stronger under low attractiveness than under high attractiveness. Collectively, they show the importance of distinguishing procedural and outcome accountability in consumer decisions. (c) 2005 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..