Context induces distortions in value representations: a test across multiple elicitation methods and learning modalities

It has been well established that, in the context of value-based learning and decision making, the way in which options are paired together (i.e., the learning architecture) significantly affects their subjective values as inferred from observed choices. An important open question concerns whether similar distortions would appear if subjective values are assessed in a declarative manner. Across seven experiments, we showed that participants do not remember the objective values of options but rather their systematically biased version which is affected by the context-specific ranking of the option during the learning phase. These results were robust across radically different value elicitation methods (choice-based and declarative) and decision modalities (experience-based or description-based). Furthermore, we show that presenting the options in different configurations during the learning phase affect their subsequent subjective values. By doing so, we illustrate how principles of context dependence may be employed to design learning environments that enhance value maximization in human decision-making.