A timeline of cognitive costs in decision-making

Christin Schulze; Ada Aka; Daniel M. Bartels; Stefan F. Bucher; Jake R. Embrey; Todd M. Gureckis; Gerald Häubl; Mark Ho; Ian Krajbich; Alexander K. Moore; Gabriele Oettingen; Joan D.K. Ongchoco; Ryan Oprea; Nicholas Reinholtz; Ben R. Newell

doi:10.1016/j.tics.2025.04.004

A timeline of cognitive costs in decision-making

Christin Schulze, Ada Aka, Daniel M. Bartels, Stefan F. Bucher, Jake R. Embrey, Todd M. Gureckis, Gerald Häubl, Mark Ho, Ian Krajbich, Alexander K. Moore, Gabriele Oettingen, Joan D.K. Ongchoco, Ryan Oprea, Nicholas Reinholtz, Ben R. Newell

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Recent research from economics, psychology, cognitive science, computer science, and marketing is increasingly interested in the idea that people face cognitive costs when making decisions. Reviewing and synthesizing this research, we develop a framework of cognitive costs that organizes concepts along a temporal dimension and maps out when costs occur in the decision-making process and how they impact decisions. Our unifying framework broadens the scope of research on cognitive costs to a wider timeline of cognitive processing. We identify implications and recommendations emerging from our framework for intervening on behavior to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our day, from improving health and saving decisions to mitigating the consequences of climate change.

Original language	English (US)
Journal	Trends in Cognitive Sciences
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.04.004
State	Accepted/In press - 2025

Keywords

algorithmic cost
cognitive effort
cognitive resources
opportunity cost
representations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience

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10.1016/j.tics.2025.04.004

Cite this

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title = "A timeline of cognitive costs in decision-making",

abstract = "Recent research from economics, psychology, cognitive science, computer science, and marketing is increasingly interested in the idea that people face cognitive costs when making decisions. Reviewing and synthesizing this research, we develop a framework of cognitive costs that organizes concepts along a temporal dimension and maps out when costs occur in the decision-making process and how they impact decisions. Our unifying framework broadens the scope of research on cognitive costs to a wider timeline of cognitive processing. We identify implications and recommendations emerging from our framework for intervening on behavior to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our day, from improving health and saving decisions to mitigating the consequences of climate change.",

keywords = "algorithmic cost, cognitive effort, cognitive resources, opportunity cost, representations",

author = "Christin Schulze and Ada Aka and Bartels, {Daniel M.} and Bucher, {Stefan F.} and Embrey, {Jake R.} and Gureckis, {Todd M.} and Gerald H{\"a}ubl and Mark Ho and Ian Krajbich and Moore, {Alexander K.} and Gabriele Oettingen and Ongchoco, {Joan D.K.} and Ryan Oprea and Nicholas Reinholtz and Newell, {Ben R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1016/j.tics.2025.04.004",

language = "English (US)",

journal = "Trends in Cognitive Sciences",

issn = "1364-6613",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

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T1 - A timeline of cognitive costs in decision-making

AU - Schulze, Christin

AU - Aka, Ada

AU - Bartels, Daniel M.

AU - Bucher, Stefan F.

AU - Embrey, Jake R.

AU - Gureckis, Todd M.

AU - Häubl, Gerald

AU - Ho, Mark

AU - Krajbich, Ian

AU - Moore, Alexander K.

AU - Oettingen, Gabriele

AU - Ongchoco, Joan D.K.

AU - Oprea, Ryan

AU - Reinholtz, Nicholas

AU - Newell, Ben R.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Recent research from economics, psychology, cognitive science, computer science, and marketing is increasingly interested in the idea that people face cognitive costs when making decisions. Reviewing and synthesizing this research, we develop a framework of cognitive costs that organizes concepts along a temporal dimension and maps out when costs occur in the decision-making process and how they impact decisions. Our unifying framework broadens the scope of research on cognitive costs to a wider timeline of cognitive processing. We identify implications and recommendations emerging from our framework for intervening on behavior to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our day, from improving health and saving decisions to mitigating the consequences of climate change.

AB - Recent research from economics, psychology, cognitive science, computer science, and marketing is increasingly interested in the idea that people face cognitive costs when making decisions. Reviewing and synthesizing this research, we develop a framework of cognitive costs that organizes concepts along a temporal dimension and maps out when costs occur in the decision-making process and how they impact decisions. Our unifying framework broadens the scope of research on cognitive costs to a wider timeline of cognitive processing. We identify implications and recommendations emerging from our framework for intervening on behavior to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our day, from improving health and saving decisions to mitigating the consequences of climate change.

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KW - cognitive effort

KW - cognitive resources

KW - opportunity cost

KW - representations

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DO - 10.1016/j.tics.2025.04.004

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SN - 1364-6613

JO - Trends in Cognitive Sciences

JF - Trends in Cognitive Sciences

ER -

A timeline of cognitive costs in decision-making

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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