This research focuses on the influence of decision makers' perceptual processes on their decision choices when they are presented with financial accounting information. A conceptual model which depicted perceptual and judgmental processes was used to capture individuals' decision-making processes. A covariance structural model of the processes graduate students used to reach loan decisions was examined through measures designed to test the proposed conceptual model. Also, a multigroup analysis was used to compare whether individuals with a more data-driven perceptual approach would differ from those with a more conceptually driven perceptual approach when making loan decisions. The results indicated that their approaches caused different loan assessments of financial accounting information. The results also indicated that data-driven types outperformed the conceptually driven types. The relative usefulness of the conceptual model was discussed, and general suggestions for future research on perceptual processes and goal attainment were offered.
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