Context Effects without a Context: Attribute Balance as a Reason for Choice

This article extends the notion of context effects beyond the relational properties of choice alternatives to include attribute balance as a reason for choice. The data reported in two experiments demonstrate that attribute balance has a significant impact on extremeness-aversion and trade-off-contrast effects reported in prior research. The proposition that consumers use attribute balance as a reason for choice is further supported by the finding that attribute balance moderates the impact of justification on the strength of extremeness aversion and trade-off contrast. These findings offer a new perspective on the decision processes underlying context effects in choice.