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Willful ignorance: A perspective from economics
Jason Dana1, Joël J van der Weele2
1University of Colorado, Leeds School of Business, Boulder, CO, USA.
Abstract:
We discuss willful ignorance and information avoidance in prosocial decisions from the perspective of economic theory, i.e. based on the ideas of utility maximization and the instrumental value of information. We provide a definition of information avoidance, empirical evidence from a paradigmatic experiment, and discuss the motives behind the phenomenon. We discuss its relevance in applications and avenues for future research.
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