The Relationship Between Adolescents’ Likelihood to Judge, Assist, and Punish Under Omission Neglect

Abstract: Omission neglect is the tendency to overlook the significance of missing but potentially important information when making decisions. Although it has been studied in the context of economic decision-making and consumer choice (marketing), comparatively little work has examined how this bias operates in social or interpersonal decision-making. These findings are increasingly relevant in modern society shaped by incomplete narratives in technologies such as social media and artificial intelligence. Exploring omission neglect is essential for promoting more reflective decision-making and fostering awareness of the unseen factors that shape our perceptions and actions. In this study, two surveys were conducted to elicit omission neglect: a 12 question survey assessing participants’ likelihood to judge, assist, or punish without context, and a similar 18 question survey comparing responses to well-contextualized (control) versus limited-context (experimental) scenarios. The first survey showed that participants were most inclined to assist someone, followed by punishing, and were least likely to judge. The second survey found a shift in this pattern: participants were most likely to judge, then assist, and least likely to punish. The results highlight the sensitivity of adolescents in contextual changes with a willingness to help others, though with negative judgment.