Knowledge@Wharton
Mathematical models have been used to augment or replace human decision-making since the invention of the calculator, bolstered by the notion that a machine won’t make mistakes. Yet many people are averse to using algorithms, preferring instead to rely on their instincts when it comes to a variety of decisions. New research from Cade Massey and Joseph Simmons, professors in Wharton’s department of operations, information and decisions, and Berkeley J. Dietvorst from the University of Chicago finds that control is at the core of the matter. If you give decision-makers a measure of control over the model, they are more like to use it. Massey and Simmons spoke to Knowledge@Wharton about the implications of their research.