Information Aversion

What is information aversion?

Information aversion is reluctance to learn information that is expected to be unpleasant or otherwise unwanted. It overlaps with information avoidance; the ostrich effect describes a related pattern of avoiding potentially unfavorable information, rather than every possible reason to reject information.

Golman, Hagmann and Loewenstein (2017) review how the emotional or belief-related consequences of learning can discourage people from obtaining even useful, free information.

Example of information aversion

Imagine someone who suspects they have overspent and does not want to see the account balance. The balance could help them make a decision, yet learning it also carries an emotional cost. That reluctance illustrates information aversion; choosing not to check the account balance would be information avoidance.

Why it matters

This may impair a decision when the information would support beneficial action. However, avoidance should be assessed against its costs and purposes. For communication, the useful question is what makes the information unwelcome and what the person could do with it. A gentler tone may be worth testing, but positive framing is not a universal fix.