Within-alternative processing supports transitivity of preferences in multiattribute choice

Transitivity of preference (ToP) is a central axiom of rational choice theory. While violating ToP is rare and subject to debate, there have been reports of such violations (Tsetsos et al., 2016a; Tversky, 1969, but see Iverson & Falmagne, 1985; Regenwetter et al., 2011). If humans indeed violate ToP, an important challenge is understanding the conditions and mechanisms that promote either transitive or intransitive preferences. Here, we report the presence of ToP violations using a data analysis method that was prescribed as statistically adequate (Regenwetter et al., 2011), and an experimental design where each choice is presented on a single visual display to avoid artifacts that can be associated with sequential presentation and aggregation across choice stimuli. We introduce two cognitive heuristics that predict certain violations of ToP and we translate them into probabilistic choice models. Then, in three experiments (one of which is a preregistered replication), we evaluate violations of ToP and we assess the models that predict such violations. We find that, despite pervasive individual differences, the ToP adherence rate is much enhanced when the task was presented in a fashion that facilitates within-alternative integration. We also find that the proposed heuristic models successfully explain those ToP violations that do occur. These findings shed light on the conditions and cognitive mechanisms that support ToP. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).