Center for Behavioral Decision Research

CBDR : Seminar Series : Seminar by Thomas Mussweiler

Psychological relativity – How comparisons shape judgment and decision making

	presented by Thomas Mussweiler (University of Cologne)


	Thursday, February 14	link to paper
	Noon-1:10
	Porter 223D	link to Speaker's Site

	Abstract:

	Psychology is often described as a fragmented science. I will suggest that one way to overcome this fragmentation is to examine the fundamental relativity of human information processing. Psychological relativity – people’s tendency to process information in comparison to an evoked norm or standard – appears to shape human judgment and decision making in fundamental ways. In my talk, I will examine four central questions: The Why, When, How and Where of comparison. Why do comparisons play such a core role in human information processing? When are comparisons engaged? How are comparisons carried out? And, which psychological phenomena are shaped by comparisons? I will present experimental data suggesting that comparison is a highly efficient and ubiquitous mechanism that plays a central role in a variety of core psychological phenomena such as priming, stereotyping, self-perception, decision making and trust. Taken together, this research suggests that examining the role comparisons play in human information processing has substantial integrative potential.

	Host at CMU: Moore