Information pursuit bias in trust repair

The way in which objectively similar information is presented influences the direction of choice and decisions. Therefore, the sequential order in which information is presented may have a relevant impact on trust repair. This... [ view full abstract ]

The way in which objectively similar information is presented influences the direction of choice and decisions. Therefore, the sequential order in which information is presented may have a relevant impact on trust repair. This study experimentally examines the consequences of information pursuit on trust repair. In ten scenarios information pursuit is realised by a step-by-step approach with a time delay in which one group had the option of waiting for additional information. The authors hypothesize that the acquisition of new information, even if it is non-instrumental, leads to an overestimation of this new information in the trust building process. In line with social psychology theories, we argue that the mental costs of information gathering lets participants believe that this information is more relevant than the already known facts. We state that cognitive dissonance and self-affirmation can significantly impact the trust repairing process. Consequently we argue that in some cases information order could be more important than the actual trust damaging event.