Abstract
Golman and Loewenstein theorise preferences about information itself: a person may want a specific gap opened, or prefer that the same gap stay closed.
Golman, R., & Loewenstein, G. (2018). Decision, 5(3), 143–164. DOI
Key findings
- Gap as object — The theory treats a named missing piece as the thing a preference attaches to, not novelty in general.
- Avoidance included — Wanting not to know is part of the same account as wanting to look.
Limits
Theory article in Decision (2018, 5(3), 143–164). Crossref DOI 10.1037/dec0000068. It does not test personal archives, dashboards, or whether a machine observer outperforms a person.
Application
When you avoid a record, ask whether one missing piece is named, and whether you want that piece opened (Information gap).