吃亏是福：择“值”选项而获真利

Suffering a Loss is a Blessing:Is It Real Gold or Fool's Gold?

主流决策理论认为人们当遵从个人利益最大化原则,基于"价"(value)做选择——挑选能直接给自己带来最大获益的选项。但决策者实际上经常会基于"值"(worth)做选择——挑选令自己当下吃亏或损失的选项,并认为"值得"。为探索选择吃亏的选项究竟"值"在何处,研究1利用情境实验操纵"基于‘值’选择",发现选择表面吃亏的"值"选项反而能给个体带来更大的延迟获益。研究2a采用归纳法,确定了吃亏选项会在"惠、善、义、法"4个潜在维度上被决策者赋予更大的"值";研究2b利用测量4个潜在维度的情境测验,以销售群体的销售绩效和主观幸福感为真实获益的衡量指标,验证了"基于‘值’选择"与现实生活中的物质和精神获益间存在正向的线性预测关系。研究首次为中国文化中的"吃亏是福"提供了实证证据的支持,揭示诱使人们选择吃亏选项的是"后福"——赋在潜在维度上的延迟获益。

In classical decision theory, choices are guided by the principle of value maximization, such that when offered a set of attributes or dimensions, a decision maker chooses the option with the highest value （value-based choice）. In real life, however, people often choose options that will make them suffer a loss. To explain this behavior, Tang （2012） and Zheng （2012） proposed and demonstrated a so-called ＂worth-based choice＂ model, in which the decision maker chooses the option with the highest ＂worth＂ rather than the highest ＂value＂. To explore what gives an option its worth, and to study the rationale underlying such a choice, we conducted two substudies, as described below. In Study 1, we created two scenarios -- one in which a decision maker makes a ＂value-based choice＂ and the other in which a decision maker makes a ＂worth-based choice.＂ We recruited 134 subjects and assessed their responses to the two decision makers＇ choices as a means of comparing the latent benefits associated with each type of choice. We found that decision makers who had suffered an offered loss when applying the ＂worth-based choice＂ would gain more in the long term by securing the good opinions of others. In contrast, decision makers who had maximized their immediate benefits by making a ＂value-based choice＂ would be subject to revenge or punishment later. These findings suggest that it is potential or deferred benefit that may lead people to make ＂worth-based choices＂. Study 2 consisted of two substudies. The first study explored the underlying dimensions constantly considered by decision makers when assessing each option＇s worth to make a ＂worth-based choice＂ （Study 2a）. The second study examined the linear correlation between ＂worth-based choice＂ and real benefit （Study 2b） in a real-world setting. In Study 2a, a random sample of undergraduates and employees （N = 72） was surveyed to collect typical cases of ＂worth-based choices.＂ Exploratory factor analysis was then conducted with a random sample of 224 undergraduates and employees （aged between 18 and 60）, and four factors （i.e., 惠（favor）, 善（virtuous）, 义（righteousness） and 法（law）） underlying ＂worth-based choice＂ were extracted. The four-factor construct was further proved to be reliable and valid by the results of a confirmatory factor analysis. In Study 2b, we used a sample of 178 salespersons in the real estate and pharmaceutical industries to compare the latent benefits generated by ＂value-based choice＂ and ＂worth-based choice＂. The results confirmed our hypothesis that individuals who made a ＂worth-based choice＂ would gain more benefit later. We concluded that, in the ＂worth-based choice＂ model, though an individual may suffer an offered loss in the short term, he might gain more benefit in the long term. In the process, we managed to explain, for the first time, the philosophy reflected in a Chinese proverb, ＂chi kui shi fu＂ （suffering a loss is a blessing）. The implications of the present study are also discussed.