The Decoy Effect in Rational and Emotional Decision Making Type

This thesis examines the influence of the decoy effect on consumer decision making in the context of products with rational and emotional motivation as defined by the FCB grid. The aim was to investigate whether and how the effectiveness of the decoy effect varies with the type of decision making process and other individual consumer characteristics. The research was conducted quantitatively through a structured questionnaire among university students as a target group with anticipated financial sensitivity. The results demonstrated that the decoy effect is more pronounced in rational everyday products, where consumers are more likely to compare the price and convenience of options. In contrast, the effect was negative for products with an emotional decision type. This difference is interpreted using the asymmetric dominance model (Huber et al., 1982) and the principles of emotional decision-making (Ariely, 2008), with results supporting the hypothesis that the effectiveness of cognitive biases depends on the nature of the motivation to purchase.