The Effect of the Motivation to Solicit Advice on Advice Taking

This paper explores how the motivation to solicit advice affects the decision to take or not take advice. The advice literature focuses on the process of taking (advice utilization) or not taking (advice discounting) advice and what factors affect this decision. Advice, however, is sought, given, and used, and these processes are not necessarily separate and distinct. I propose that the reason for seeking advice has implications for whether or not advice is used. I use three general motivations for soliciting advice that Yaniv (2004) suggested: improving-judgment motivation, sharing-responsibility motivation, improving social-standing motivation. Integrating these motivations with findings regarding use of advice is discussed.