Proximity Bias: Interactive Effects of Event Valence and Event Nearness on Probability Estimates

• In Event: 7.4 Coping with Uncertain Outcomes: How Consumers Judge and Get Affected by Probabilities of the World

Short Abstract

We document a novel proximity bias. Whereas positive events are seen as more likely if they are physically close (vs. far), negative events are seen as more likely if far (vs. close). Corroborating the motivated nature of this bias, physical proximity did not affect predictions of self-irrelevant or neutral outcomes.

Authors

• Jennifer Seok Hwa Hong, New York University, USA

• Chiara Longoni, Boston University, USA

• Vicki G. Morwitz, New York University, USA