Psychological Science published a paper on 15 September 2025 detailing an investigation headed by University of Chicago researcher Alex Shaw examining the origin of the Ostrich Effect. The phenomenon describes deliberate avoidance of information that may cause discomfort, even when such knowledge could deliver long-term benefits.
Developmental Origins of the Ostrich Effect: Tracing the Emergence of Information Avoidance in Childhood
Background
Five potential motivations behind avoidance behavior were identified. These were fear of negative emotions, prevention of unfavorable self-evaluation, resistance to belief change, protection of personal preferences, and preservation of moral self-image through strategic use of uncertain outcomes within various everyday decision-making situations worldwide.
The team conducted experiments involving 5-year-old to 10-year-old participants across multiple sessions within controlled laboratory settings. One task presented the favorite candy and the least favorite candy, followed by an optional viewing of educational material explaining harmful dental effects associated with frequent consumption among children globally.
Another task explored moral ambiguity through sticker allocation choices between two buckets. One bucket offered more stickers for the participant while withholding information regarding partner rewards. The other bucket provided lower rewards while clearly displaying equal distribution details for thorough comparative analysis across ages.
Findings
Children aged 5 and 6 exhibited broad curiosity by requesting information regardless of potential discomfort. Participants aged 7 to 10 began avoiding negative content about preferred candy while remaining willing to learn about disliked options despite identical learning opportunities and identical presentation formats provided by facilitators.
Older ones frequently avoided discovering partner reward amounts within ambiguous sticker tasks, enabling selfish choices without direct acknowledgment of unfair outcomes. Younger participants sought transparency more often, indicating reduced reliance on moral wiggle room strategies under identical experimental conditions noted across several trials nationwide.
Findings indicate the gradual development of information avoidance during middle childhood. This is influenced by emotional protection and self-interest. Researchers recommend that educational interventions should encourage tolerance for uncertainty to reframe uncomfortable knowledge as valuable guidance and maintain lifelong curiosity in various environments.
Takeaways
Broader implications note potential consequences within public health communication, financial decision guidance, and political dialogue. Early avoidance patterns may evolve into adult refusal to review medical results, budget reports, or opposing opinions. This reinforces polarization across diverse demographic groups in modern societies worldwide.
The research demonstrates that Ostrich Effect tendencies do not suddenly appear during adulthood but emerge progressively through social development. Awareness of these dynamics may assist policymakers and educators in designing strategies that promote informed decision-making across generations within community institutions over time.
Note that the Ostrich Effect originated as a metaphorical concept rather than a zoological observation, drawing from the false belief that ostriches bury their heads in sand to avoid danger. Economists and psychologists began adopting the term during the early 2000s to describe deliberate avoidance of threatening financial or personal information.
FURTHER READING AND REFERENCE
- Santhanagopalan, R., Risen, J. L., and Kinzler, K. D. 2025. “Becoming an Ostrich: The Development of Information Avoidance.” Psychological Science. 36(7): 528-544. DOI: 1177/09567976251344551