In this paper, I consider a minimal departure from the standard model of preference maximization where the decision-maker chooses in stages by sequentially maximizing two preferences (that are asymmetric and transitive). This simple model has a wide variety of applications to individual decision-making – including multi-attribute choice, cognitive bias, and psychological phenomena such as temptation – as well as several models of collective choice.

The paper provides choice-theoretical foundations for the model. First, I show that it can be axiomatized using a natural symmetry property proposed by Manzini and Mariotti [2006]. For behavior consistent with the model, I next show that (i) the identifiable features of both rationales can be determined from choice on small menus and, (ii) the range of minimal representations consistent with behavior is sharply defined.