The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice

1981/01/30 by Amos Tversky, Daniel Kahneman · 17,435 citations
Decision Sciences · Psychology · #Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics #Framing effect #Framing (construction) #Perception #Preference #Psychology #Social psychology #Prospect theory #Expected utility hypothesis #Decision theory #Cognitive psychology #Economics #Microeconomics #Mathematical economics #Persuasion

paper · doi:10.1126/science.7455683

published in Science 211(4481), 453-458 (American Association for the Advancement of Science)

openalex publication_date 1981/01/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

The psychological principles that govern the perception of decision problems and the evaluation of probabilities and outcomes produce predictable shifts of preference when the same problem is framed in different ways. Reversals of preference are demonstrated in choices regarding monetary outcomes, both hypothetical and real, and in questions pertaining to the loss of human lives. The effects of frames on preferences are compared to the effects of perspectives on perceptual appearance. The dependence of preferences on the formulation of decision problems is a significant concern for the theory of rational choice.

Citations

• Specious reward: A behavioral theory of impulsiveness and impulse control.
• A BEHAVIORAL MODEL OF RATIONAL CHOICE
• Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk
• Myopia and Inconsistency in Dynamic Utility Maximization
• Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases

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