WHAT DETERMINES BEHAVIORAL DECISIONS - COMPARING THE ROLE OF COVARIATION INFORMATION AND ATTRIBUTIONS

This study investigated whether behavioral decisions (e.g., persistenc e, help seeking) are influenced by covariation information and if this influence is mediated by attributions. In Experiment I, participants belonging to different age groups received covariation information, an d causal attributions as well as behavioral reaction decisions were as sessed. Experiment 1 replicated the often-documented influence of cova riation information on attributions. Furthermore, it revealed that cov ariation information affects behavioral decisions more strongly, and d evelopmentally earlier than do attributions. In Experiment 2,participa nts were provided with conflicting covariation information and attribu tions. Covariation information had a stronger impact on reaction decis ions than attributions. Experiment 3 again provided participants with covariation information and assessed attributions and behavioral choic es, as well as reaction times. Participants provided with covariation information needed less time to choose behavioral reactions than to ch oose attributions. We conclude that behavioral decisions can be direct ly determined by covariation information without attributional mediati on.