Interpersonal Effects of Using Selection or Elimination: People Are Less Willing to Interact With Elimination Strategy Users Than With Selection Strategy Users

Abstract

Decision makers employ either a selection strategy to choose desirable options or an elimination strategy to remove undesirable options. While previous research has revealed how these two strategies influence decision processes and outcomes, the interpersonal influences remain understudied. This research fills this gap by documenting that people are less willing to interact with decision makers who use an elimination (vs. selection) strategy due to the belief that elimination (vs. selection) strategy users are more critical. However, the interpersonal cost of using an elimination strategy is mitigated when negative decisions are made to identify the worst option, when negative feedback is desired, and when decision makers are forced to use the strategy. Our research contributes to the literature on decision strategy by revealing the social effect of selection and elimination, and to the literature on choice perception by showing that decision strategy shapes the way people view decision makers.