COMPARISON AND CHOICE - RELATIONS BETWEEN SIMILARITY PROCESSES AND DECISION-PROCESSES

Research and theory in decision making and in similarity judgment have developed along parallel paths. We review and analyze phenomena in bo th domains that suggest that similarity processing and decision making share important correspondences. The parallels are explored at the le vel of empirical generalizations and underlying processing principles. Important component processes that are shared by similarity judgments and decision making include generation of alternatives, recruitment o f reference points, dynamic weighting of aspects, creation of new desc riptors, development of correspondences between items, and justificati on of judgment.