<p>It's probably related to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_overload" rel="nofollow noreferrer">information overload</a> "the difficulty in understanding an issue and effectively making decisions when one has too much information about that issue". As for a more specific term...</p>

<p>In the full text of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1403_7" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1403_7</a> it's called the <strong>irrelevant attribute effect</strong>. I'm not sure how widespread this term is. Therein it's defined as the scenario when</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>irrelevant information may influence choice even when there is an easily
  justified basis for choice other than the irrelevant attribute.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There are a lot papers out there on how irrelevant information affects choice, but most don't seem to use this precise term but some reasonably close expression.</p>

<p>There's even <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/338205" rel="nofollow noreferrer">one paper</a> which discussed a sub-form of this, namely the <strong>dilution effect</strong>, which</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>occurs when a person’s consideration of irrelevant information leads to a less extreme judgment. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Even though it's narrower in meaning, this last term is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0285(81)90010-4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">more widespread</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-20T21:07:31.743Z
2019-04-20T21:42:17.057Z
2019-04-20T21:42:17.057Z
got trolled too much this week
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_bias_(psychology)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Information bias</a> is a cognitive bias to seek information when it does not affect action. People can often make better predictions or choices with less information: more information is not always better. An example of information bias is believing that the more information that can be acquired to make a decision, the better, even if that extra information is irrelevant for the decision.</p>

<p>Reference: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_bias_(psychology)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_bias_(psychology)</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-21T00:37:21.280Z
I had found that one but wasn't sure if it was different. From the article it sounds like the primary irrationality in information bias is paying a cost to seek unhelpful information, as opposed to trying to incorporate said information into your decision. Related, but I'm not sure it's the same. Also possible that my memory is wrong :-)
ChaseMedallion
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-19T15:20:32.040Z
2019-04-19T15:20:32.040Z
Filip
<p>In psych class, I recall learning about a cognitive bias where people are inclined to use all information available to them when making a decision, even if some of the information would be better ignored.</p>

<p>I believe the example given was a study in which participants were asked to evaluate the (college?) application of a candidate. Some participants were given just the conventional application information, while others were additionally given irrelevant information in the form of a portfolio of the candidate's elementary school artwork. The finding was that the artwork influenced the participant's decisions when it was provided.</p>

<p>What I don't remember is what this bias is called!</p>

<bias>
Name of cognitive bias where people try to use all given information regardless of quality?
ChaseMedallion
# Name of cognitive bias where people try to use all given information regardless of quality?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-19)

In psych class, I recall learning about a cognitive bias where people are inclined to use all information available to them when making a decision, even if some of the information would be better ignored.

I believe the example given was a study in which participants were asked to evaluate the (college?) application of a candidate. Some participants were given just the conventional application information, while others were additionally given irrelevant information in the form of a portfolio of the candidate's elementary school artwork. The finding was that the artwork influenced the participant's decisions when it was provided.

What I don't remember is what this bias is called!

**Tags:** bias


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-04-20. Score: 2

It's probably related to [information overload](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_overload) "the difficulty in understanding an issue and effectively making decisions when one has too much information about that issue". As for a more specific term...

In the full text of <https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp1403_7> it's called the **irrelevant attribute effect**. I'm not sure how widespread this term is. Therein it's defined as the scenario when

> irrelevant information may influence choice even when there is an easily
> justified basis for choice other than the irrelevant attribute.

There are a lot papers out there on how irrelevant information affects choice, but most don't seem to use this precise term but some reasonably close expression.

There's even [one paper](https://doi.org/10.1086/338205) which discussed a sub-form of this, namely the **dilution effect**, which

> occurs when a person’s consideration of irrelevant information leads to a less extreme judgment.

Even though it's narrower in meaning, this last term is [more widespread](https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0285(81)90010-4).


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-04-19. Score: 1

[Information bias](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_bias_(psychology)) is a cognitive bias to seek information when it does not affect action. People can often make better predictions or choices with less information: more information is not always better. An example of information bias is believing that the more information that can be acquired to make a decision, the better, even if that extra information is irrelevant for the decision.

Reference: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_bias_(psychology)>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I had found that one but wasn't sure if it was different. From the article it sounds like the primary irrationality in information bias is paying a cost to seek unhelpful information, as opposed to trying to incorporate said information into your decision. Related, but I'm not sure it's the same. Also possible that my memory is wrong :-)  

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