Research Topics
Numerosity Cognition
In this line of research, I examine how non-symbolic numerosity representations (i.e., intuitive quantity estimates) are formed, the systematic biases that arise in this process, and their downstream consequences for consumer judgment and behavior. I propose that people often construct incomplete numerosity representations, selectively incorporating elements based on relevance, spatial position, or perceptual salience. As a result, these elements are overweighted, leading to systematic overestimation.
Selected publications:
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Vanunu, Y., & Ratcliff, R. (2025). A selective sampling account of forming numerosity representations. Psychological Review, 132(5), 1178–1208. https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000575
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Vanunu, Y., & Donnelly, K. (2026). Center of attention: Spatial position affects quantity judgments and product preference. [Preprint]. OSF. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/mn24r_v3
Selective Attention Drives Preference
In this research avenue, I investigate how selective attention shapes the formation of preferences between choice options, including lotteries, consumer products and news platforms. Because processing capacity is limited, people prioritize information that aligns with their goals or stands out due to visual salience or spatial position. As a result, attended information disproportionately influences the preferences they construct.
Selected publications:
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Vanunu, Y., Hotaling, J. M., Le Pelley, M. E., & Newell, B. R. (2021). How top-down and bottom-up attention modulate risky choice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(39), e2025646118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2025646118
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Vanunu, Y., Urminsky, O., & Bartels, D. (2024). Coping with complexity: A selective sampling account of consideration set formation for product bundles. [Preprint]. OSF. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5t6cv
Heuristic Decision Strategies
Because processing capacity is limited, people often rely on heuristics—mental shortcuts that enable judgments and choices with minimal effort. In this line of research, I examine the heuristics consumers use in the marketplace, such as inferring price from quantity or relying on more accessible information in mobile banking interfaces, as well as interventions that can mitigate their impact when the structure of the choice environment conflicts with underlying cognitive mechanisms.
Selected publications:
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Vanunu, Y., Zhang, G. & Urminsky, O. (in prep.). The quantity-discount fallacy.
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Vanunu, Y., Donnelly K. & Sussman A. B. (in prep). Heuristic financial evaluation in mobile banking apps.
