Examining the mechanisms underlying contextual preference reversal: Comment on Trueblood, Brown, and Heathcote (2014)

Trueblood, Brown, and Heathcote (2014) provide a new model of multiattribute choice, which accounts for 3 contextual reversal effects (similarity, attraction and compromise). We review the details of the model and highlight some novel predictions. First, we show that the model works by setting a "fine balance" between 2 opposing factors that influence choice. As a result, small changes in the attributes of choice alternatives can disturb this balance. Second, we show that the model gives a partial account of the compromise effect. We describe a number of experiments that could distinguish the MLBA from other models of multiattribute choice.