More Evidence Challenging the Robustness and Usefulness of the Attraction Effect

Abstract

Ninety-one attempts to produce an attraction effect (involving a total of 23 product classes and 73 different decoyed choice sets) produced only 11 reliable effects—significantly fewer than expected given the statistical power of the studies. Cross-scenario analyses indicated that the use of meaningful qualitative-verbal descriptions, as well as pictorial depictions, to differentiate choice options substantially reduced the size of those effects. Indeed, the authors found attraction effects at only chance levels using these types of stimuli. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the implications of these findings for both marketing practice and research.