Willful Ignorance: Meta analytical review

Willful ignorance—the tendency to avoid information about the negative consequences of one’s selfish decisions for others—has adverse impact in a wide range of societal contexts. Consumers often avoid information about the environmental impact or ethical origins of the products they purchase and  corporate executives may remain strategically ignorant of corporate misdeeds as long as these support their bottom line. We present the first meta-analysis on willful ignorance—when individuals avoid information about the negative consequences of their actions to maximize personal outcomes—covering 33,603 decisions made by 6,531 participants across 56 treatment effects. Results demonstrate the ability to avoid such information decreases altruistic behavior, and that seemingly altruistic behavior may not reflect a true concern for others.