Information value is the highest price someone would pay to know the outcome of a decision before it happens. Perfect information is more valuable than imperfect information, but people may overvalue information and disregard cost-effectiveness. Mathematical formulas can help calculate information value, but decision-making is complex and influenced by multiple factors.
Information value is the highest price a person would be willing to pay to know the outcome of a decision before it happens. This plays a role in decision-making processes at all levels, from deciding when to take a vacation to investing in stocks. In information value analysis, a distinction is made between perfect and imperfect information, with perfect information being more valuable. People can always choose to disregard information after receiving it, which can distort the value.
In a simple example, a person might consider a choice between receiving cancer treatment and choosing only palliative care. Perfect information would allow the patient to know whether the treatment will be successful before starting treatment, and people may be willing to pay a high price for this. Imperfect information is less valuable, providing a projection or forecast rather than firm information about the outcome. A doctor might tell the patient that the treatment is successful in 75% of patients, for example.
When considering the value of information, in addition to looking at how much people are willing to pay, analysts can also consider the maximum amount people should pay for information. Sometimes people are willing to pay more than the information is really worth. People may value the ability to control and predict outcomes and not consider cost-effectiveness in the process of making a decision about how to proceed with something.
Several mathematical formulas are available to help people calculate the value of information in various settings. Quantifying some situations can be difficult. In the case of a cancer patient, for example, it can be difficult to put a monetary value on quality of life and comfort, although estimates of lost wages and other financial costs can be part of the equation. For a situation like buying a bond, the equation may be easier to calculate, as people can see clear costs and benefits of investing or choosing not to.
The study of decision making includes several parameters, not just information value. Humans can also choose to act against the recommendations by disregarding the information or focusing on imperfections in the information. Decision making can also become more complicated when multiple people participate in the process, with each person influencing the decision and making it difficult to predict how people will behave.
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