Błędy poznawcze w podejmowaniu decyzji z zakresu rachunkowości: badanie eksperymentalne
Cognitive biases in accounting decision-making: An experimental study

Summary/Abstract: Purpose: The presented study examines how selected cognitive biases impact interpretations of accounting information, based on the respondents’ accounting knowledge level. The study examines how anchoring and framing influence accounting students’ interpretation of accounting information and whether the strength of these effects varies according to their level of accounting knowledge. Methodology/approach: Based on a literature review, the research is built on three pillars. 1) A multidimensional fuzzy-logic model was constructed to classify the respondents’ level of accounting knowledge. 2) Research was conducted using elements of a randomized controlled trial. 3) Paper questionnaires were used for data collection purposes. Our respondents were students enrolled in accounting courses from different faculties. The sample of respondents was not randomly drawn from the population. The study employed a non-probability purposive sampling approach. Findings: We demonstrated that cognitive biases such as anchoring and framing significantly influence users’ interpretation of accounting information and subsequent decision-making. The effects are non-linear in relation to their level of accounting knowledge. The findings provide empirical support for integrating behavioral aspects into accounting education to improve the interpretation of financial information. Research limitations/implications: The study's limitations include the small sample of highly knowledgeable accounting users, which affects statistical analysis. Accounting students represent the least experienced segment of the professional accounting community. Additionally, variations in cognitive bias strength and excluded factors, like psychological influences, point to areas for further research. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that the relationship between accounting knowledge and susceptibility to cognitive biases is non-linear. Contrary to common assumptions, a higher level of accounting knowledge does not consistently reduce the impact of anchoring and framing.

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