Brief Commentary: An Independent Replication Study of the Mere Urgency Effect

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ID: 329089
2026
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Abstract
Abstract We report an extensive, independent replication study (n=2,374) of the Mere Urgency Effect (MUE) (Zhu et al. 2018). The MUE is a surprising tendency for individuals to be lured into sub-optimal time allocation by the framing of a dominated option that makes it appear ‘urgent’. This effect arises even though the apparent urgency is illusory. We replicate the MUE in a base design closely following the procedures of Zhu et al. (2018) but with new participants. Across further replications, we vary the base design to control for putative confounds that would explain the MUE as an artefact of the base experimental setup. A new (‘fresh eyes’) setup provides an additional test, alongside a meta-analytic synthesis across replications. Although the MUE is attenuated by adding controls to the base design, we find a significant MUE in all tests designed to control for confounds, including our new setup. Hence, we confirm the existence of a MUE that is robust to our variations in experimental design and to controls for the mechanisms we conjectured as potential confounds. At least within the paradigm we study, a tendency to prioritise tasks seen as urgent can lead to suboptimal decision-making, even when the urgency is illusory.
Reference Key
openalex_W7213548730 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Richard Mills, Robin Cubitt, Chris Starmer
Journal journal of consumer research
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/jcr/ucag026
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucag026
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