Human Interest or Hard Numbers? Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information

TY - JOUR

T1 - Human Interest or Hard Numbers?

T2 - Experiments on Citizens' Selection, Exposure, and Recall of Performance Information

AU - Olsen, Asmus Leth

PY - 2017/5/1

Y1 - 2017/5/1

N2 - The abundance of quantitative performance information has motivated multiple studies about how citizens make sense of “hard” performance data. However, research in psychology emphasizes that episodic information (e.g., case stories) often leaves a greater mark on citizens. This contradiction is tested using multiple experiments embedded in a large, nationally representative sample of Danish citizens. The results stress three differences between statistical and episodic data. Citizens have strong preferences for statistical data when asked to evaluate an organization. However, episodic information has in some instances a stronger impact on citizens’ evaluations of an organization and often is more emotionally engaging than statistics. Finally, when asked to immediately recall recent performance information about public services, citizens report more elaborate information about personalized stories and experiences than about statistics. Overall, the results raise questions about the ability of hard performance data to dominate and crowd out episodic performance information.

AB - The abundance of quantitative performance information has motivated multiple studies about how citizens make sense of “hard” performance data. However, research in psychology emphasizes that episodic information (e.g., case stories) often leaves a greater mark on citizens. This contradiction is tested using multiple experiments embedded in a large, nationally representative sample of Danish citizens. The results stress three differences between statistical and episodic data. Citizens have strong preferences for statistical data when asked to evaluate an organization. However, episodic information has in some instances a stronger impact on citizens’ evaluations of an organization and often is more emotionally engaging than statistics. Finally, when asked to immediately recall recent performance information about public services, citizens report more elaborate information about personalized stories and experiences than about statistics. Overall, the results raise questions about the ability of hard performance data to dominate and crowd out episodic performance information.

U2 - 10.1111/puar.12638

DO - 10.1111/puar.12638

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0033-3352

VL - 77

SP - 408

EP - 420

JO - Public Administration Review

JF - Public Administration Review

IS - 3

ER -