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Information avoidance: Self-image concerns, inattention, and ideology.

Katharina Momsen1,2, Markus Ohndorf1

  • 1Department of Public Finance, University of Innsbruck, Universitätsstraße 15, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.

Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization
|May 24, 2023
PubMed
Summary

People willfully avoid information about Covid-19 measures, driven by self-serving or pro-social motives. Political affiliation influences this behavior, with Democrats showing pro-social avoidance and Republicans exhibiting self-serving avoidance.

Keywords:
AttentionCharitable givingExperimentInformation avoidanceMotivated reasoningPolitical preferences

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Economics
  • Public Health Policy
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Understanding information avoidance is crucial for public health interventions.
  • Willful ignorance regarding health measures can have significant societal consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate willful information avoidance related to Covid-19 measures.
  • To differentiate between motivated and non-motivated reasons for ignorance.
  • To explore the influence of political attitudes on information avoidance behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • An experiment was designed where participants chose between options with varying information about payoffs and donations to the Red Cross USA.
  • Information about personal financial gain and charitable contributions was selectively hidden or revealed.
  • Statistical analysis was used to correlate behavioral patterns with political affiliations.

Main Results:

  • Evidence of both self-serving and pro-social information avoidance was found.
  • Participants' political attitudes correlated with their information avoidance strategies.
  • Democratic voters tended towards pro-social information avoidance, while Republican voters leaned towards self-serving avoidance.

Conclusions:

  • Willful information avoidance is a complex behavior influenced by both personal gain and social considerations.
  • Political polarization plays a significant role in shaping how individuals seek or avoid health-related information.
  • Findings have implications for designing effective public health communication strategies.