How product decision characteristics interact to influence cognitive load: An exploratory study

Abstract

The objective of this laboratory experiment was to explore how product decision characteristics interact to influence the decision-maker’s cognitive load. A between-subject experiment with 23 participants was performed to test how four decision characteristics (Decision set size, Attribute value format, Display format, and Information sorting) interact to influence participants’ cognitive load. Eye-tracking was used to assess cognitive load. Results indicate that the four product decision characteristics interact to influence cognitive load. We found, for example, that as the decision set size increased, the influence of attribute value format, display format, and information sorting on cognitive load varied. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.