Joint versus Separate Modes of Evaluation

The main objective of this chapter is to build on Hsee and Zhang's work on the general evaluability theory (GET) and extend it in two respects. First, the chapter elaborates more on some of the key concepts in GET and reviews the most recent findings that provide support for some of the new predictions derived from GET. Second, it reviews more areas to which the evaluability concept applies, more importantly, the research that applies existing findings about evaluation mode and evaluability to changing the choice architecture and nudging people to make decisions that are better for themselves and for society. The chapter clarifies several issues concerning the concept of evaluation mode which may cause or have caused confusion. In substantive areas, research has examined the implications of evaluation mode and evaluability for risk preference and intertemporal preference, prediction-experience consistency and choice-experience consistency, extension neglect, and subjective well-being.