Recently, the heuristics and biases approach to the study of decision making has been criticized, with a call for better integrated theory. Three experiments stemming from fuzzy-trace theory addressed information seeking on probability problems, and the cognitive representation of hit-rates, base-rates, and the cont rapositive. As predicted by the fuzzy-trace principle of denominator neglect, many subjects exhibited conversion errors, confusing the hit-rate, P(A|B), wi th the answer, P(B|A). These subjects sought base-rates less often than other subjects. On causal problems, more subjects correctly represented base-rates, soug ht base-rates more often, and produced more accurate estimates than on non-causal problems. Subjects tutored on the meaning of the hit-rate sought the base-rate more often, and were more accurate than control subjects. Results are explained by fuzzy-trace theory principles of gist extraction, fuzzy processing preferenc e, denominator neglect, and output interference.
Key words: Information Seeking, Bayesian, Base-Rate, Fuzzy-Trace