1、外文文献翻译译文原文INFORMATIONPURSUITINFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALYSISEFFECTSOFCHOICE,EFFORT,ANDRECONCILIATIONMUCHPRIORRESEARCHSUGGESTSTHATTHEFORMATINWHICHINFORMATIONISCOMMUNICATEDAFFECTSTHEEXTENTTOWHICHTHEINFORMATIONAFFECTSUSERSJUDGMENTSINGENERAL,INFORMATIONAFFECTSUSERJUDGMENTSMOREWHENTHEINFORMATIONISRECOGNIZEDI
2、NANINCOMESTATEMENTORBALANCESHEETTHANWHENITISDISCLOSEDINAFOOTNOTEORINALESSPROMINENTFINANCIALSTATEMENTTHESEFORMATEFFECTSMAYOCCURBECAUSEDISCLOSURESIGNALSTOUSERSTHATINFORMATIONISLESSUSEFULCOTTERANDZIMMER2003LIANGANDZHANG2006,CONSISTENTWITHSTANDARDSETTERSRATIONALEFORRELEGATINGINFORMATIONTODISCLOSURESFACN
3、O5,FINANCIALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSBOARDFASB1984HOWEVER,EVENIFDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONISUSEFUL,USERSMAYNOTCONSIDERITBECAUSEHUMANINFORMATIONPROCESSINGLIMITATIONSRENDERDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONLESSACCESSIBLEMAINESANDMCDANIEL2000ONEAPPROACHTOHELPINGUSERSCONSIDERTHEIMPLICATIONSOFDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONISTOTRANSFORMTHEF
4、INANCIALSTATEMENTSTOAPPEARASIFTHEINFORMATIONHADBEENRECOGNIZEDREVSINEETAL2004ANEXPRESSPURPOSEOFSOMEDISCLOSURESISTOALLOWTHATSORTOFTRANSFORMATIONSEESFASNO123FASB1995WITHRESPECTTOSTOCKOPTIONSOURPAPEREXAMINESHOWUSERJUDGMENTSAREINFLUENCEDBYSUCHTRANSFORMATIONALFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALYSISTECHNIQUESWHEREASPRI
5、ORRESEARCHFINDSTHATDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONHASLESSOFANEFFECTONUSERJUDGMENTSTHANDOESRECOGNIZEDINFORMATION,WEPREDICTTHAT,CONDITIONALONDISCLOSURESBEINGTRANSFORMEDTOAPPEARASIFTHEYHAVEBEENRECOGNIZED,DISCLOSURESCANHAVEAGREATEREFFECTONUSERSJUDGMENTSTHANDOESINFORMATIONTHATISRECOGNIZEDTOBEGINWITH,BECAUSETRANSFOR
6、MATIONREQUIRESANEXPLICITCHOICETOPURSUEINFORMATION,ENTAILSEFFORTFULPROCESSING,ANDPROVIDESARECONCILIATIONBETWEENPREANDPOSTTRANSFORMATIONNUMBERSTESTINGOURHYPOTHESESREQUIRESTHATWEEXAMINEJUDGMENTSOFUSERSWHOPOSSESSKNOWLEDGEOFATRANSFORMATIONALFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALYSISSKILLTHEREFORE,WEPERFORMEDTWOEXPERIMEN
7、TSUSINGASPARTICIPANTSMBASTUDENTSWHOPREVIOUSLYHADBEENTAUGHTCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONOFOPERATINGLEASESUSINGAPROCEDUREADAPTEDFROMINHOFEETAL1991INBOTHEXPERIMENTS,THEPARTICIPANTSTASKWASTOASSESSTHERELATIVERISKINESSOFTWOCOMPANIESINTHEFRANCHISERESTAURANTINDUSTRY,WITHONECOMPANYLOBBYS,INCHAVINGNOOPERATINGLEA
8、SESANDTHEOTHERCOMPANYPFCHANGSCHINABISTRO,INCHEREAFTER,CHANGSHAVINGSIGNIFICANTAMOUNTSOFOPERATINGLEASESANIMPORTANTELEMENTOFFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALYSISFORTHISTASKISTOENHANCECOMPARABILITYBETWEENTHETWOFIRMSBYTRANSFORMINGCHANGSBALANCESHEETBYCONSTRUCTIVELYCAPITALIZINGOPERATINGLEASESEXPERIMENTONEHASFIVECONDI
9、TIONSINA221BETWEENSUBJECTSDESIGNTHE22PORTIONOFTHEDESIGNMANIPULATESCHOICEIE,WHETHERPARTICIPANTSAREAUTOMATICALLYGIVENTHEEFFECTSOFCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONORMUSTCHOOSETOGETTHATINFORMATIONAND”EFFORTIE,WHETHERPARTICIPANTSHAVETOUSEATEMPLATETOPERFORMTHECALCULATIONSNECESSARYTOCONSTRUCTIVELYCAPITALIZEOPERAT
10、INGLEASESORHAVETHERESULTSOFTHOSECALCULATIONSPROVIDEDTOTHEMALLFOUROFTHESECELLSAREHIGHRECONCILIATION,INTHATPARTICIPANTSAREPROVIDEDARECONCILIATIONTHATINCLUDESPREADJUSTMENT,ADJUSTMENT,ANDPOSTADJUSTMENTNUMBERSTHE1PORTIONOFTHEDESIGNISABENCHMARKLOWCHOICE,LOWEFFORT,LOWRECONCILIATIONCONDITIONINWHICHFINANCIAL
11、INFORMATIONISPRESENTEDASIFCHANGSOPERATINGLEASESHAVEALREADYBEENCAPITALIZEDIE,PARTICIPANTSSEEONLYTHEPOSTTRANSFORMATIONAMOUNTSINTHISDESIGN,THEBENCHMARKLOWCHOICE,LOWEFFORT,LOWRECONCILIATIONCELLDEPICTSAPURERECOGNITIONSETTINGINWHICHALLLEASESARECAPITALIZED,THEHIGHCHOICE,HIGHEFFORT,HIGHRECONCILIATIONCELLDEP
12、ICTSTHESETTINGFACEDCURRENTLYBYAFINANCIALSTATEMENTUSERWHOCHOOSESTOEXERTTHEEFFORTNECESSARYTOCONSTRUCTIVELYCAPITALIZEOPERATINGLEASES,ANDTHEOTHERCELLSDEPICTINTERVENINGCONDITIONSTHATAREPOSSIBLEBETWEENTHOSETWOEXTREMESCOMPARISONSBETWEENTHELOWANDHIGHCHOICECONDITIONSHOLDINGCONSTANTHIGHRECONCILIATIONREVEALEFF
13、ECTSOFCHOICE,COMPARISONSBETWEENTHELOWANDHIGHEFFORTCONDITIONSHOLDINGCONSTANTHIGHRECONCILIATIONREVEALEFFECTSOFEFFORT,ANDCOMPARISONSBETWEENTHELOWANDHIGHRECONCILIATIONCONDITIONSHOLDINGCONSTANTLOWCHOICEANDLOWEFFORTREVEALEFFECTSOFRECONCILIATIONRESULTSOFEXPERIMENTONEINDICATETHATPARTICIPANTSRISKJUDGMENTSWER
14、ESIGNIFICANTLYAFFECTEDBYTHEEFFORTANDRECONCILIATIONMANIPULATIONS,BUTNOTBYTHECHOICEMANIPULATIONSPECIFICALLY,PARTICIPANTSASSESSEDCHANGSASRELATIVELYMORERISKYWHENPARTICIPANTSPERFORMEDTHECONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONTHEMSELVESANDTHUSEXERTEDEFFORT,RATHERTHANSIMPLYBEINGPROVIDEDTHEEFFECTSOFCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZ
15、ATIONANDWHENPREANDPOSTTRANSFORMATIONFINANCIALSTATEMENTSWERERECONCILEDTHUSHIGHLIGHTINGTHEEFFECTSOFCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONDEBRIEFINGDATASUGGESTTHATTHESEEFFECTSOCCURREDATLEASTINPARTBECAUSEEFFORTANDRECONCILIATIONAFFECTEDPARTICIPANTSPERCEPTIONSOFTHEEXTENTTOWHICHTHEYWEREWELLINFORMEDEXPERIMENTTWOISDESIG
16、NEDTOFURTHERTESTTHEEFFORTEFFECTSIDENTIFIEDINEXPERIMENTONEINEXPERIMENTONE,LOWEFFORTPARTICIPANTSWEREPROVIDEDTHERESULTSOFCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATION,BUTNOTTHEENTIRECOMPLETEDCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONTEMPLATE,SOTHATTHOSEPARTICIPANTSCOULDCOMPLETETHETEMPLATEDURINGDEBRIEFINGTOPROVIDEDATAFORAKNOWLEDGECHECKHO
17、WEVER,THISALLOWSTHEPOSSIBILITYTHATDIFFERENCESINRISKRATINGSATTRIBUTEDTOEFFORTINEXPERIMENTONECOULDINSTEADBECAUSEDBYDIFFERENCESINACCESSTOINFORMATIONCONTAINEDINTHECONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONTEMPLATETHEREFORE,EXPERIMENTTWOHOLDSCONSTANTPARTICIPANTSACCESSTOTHECONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONTEMPLATE,ANDVARIESINA1
18、2BETWEENSUBJECTSDESIGNWHETHERPARTICIPANTSPERFORMTHECALCULATIONSINTHETEMPLATEORAREPROVIDEDTHECOMPLETEDTEMPLATERESULTSREPLICATETHEEFFORTEFFECTADDITIONALDATAINDICATETHATPARTICIPANTSINTHEHIGHEFFORTCONDITIONSPENTMORETIMEONTHERISKANALYSISTASK,AGAINSUGGESTINGTHATTHEHIGHERRISKRATINGSOBSERVEDINTHATCONDITIONA
19、REDUETOPARTICIPANTSEXPENDINGGREATEREFFORTTHESERESULTSCONTRIBUTETOSEVERALLITERATURESFIRST,REGARDINGFORMATEFFECTS,OURRESULTSINDICATETHATITISNOTALWAYSTHECASETHATRECOGNIZEDINFORMATIONAFFECTSJUDGMENTMORETHANDOESDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONINCIRCUMSTANCESWHERETRANSFORMATIONALFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALYSISREQUIRESSIGN
20、IFICANTEFFORTORRECONCILESDISAGGREGATEDINFORMATION,DISCLOSEDINFORMATIONMAYAFFECTJUDGMENTSMORETHANITWOULDHAVEHADITBEENRECOGNIZEDINITIALLYIRONICALLY,WHILETHEINFORMATIONMAYHAVEBEENDISCLOSEDRATHERTHANRECOGNIZEDBECAUSEITISLESSUSEFUL,THEEFFORTFULPROCESSINGNECESSARYFORTHATINFORMATIONTOBECONSIDERED,ANDTHECON
21、SEQUENTIALDISAGGREGATEDRECONCILIATIONGENERATEDBYTRANSFORMATIONALANALYSIS,MIGHTRESULTINTHEINFORMATIONAFFECTINGJUDGMENTTOAGREATEREXTENTTHANITWOULDHAVEHADITBEENRECOGNIZEDINITIALLYOURRESULTSALSOHAVEIMPLICATIONSFORMAINESANDMCDANIELS2000FRAMEWORKFORCONSIDERINGTHEEFFECTSOFFORMATONUSERJUDGMENTSMAINESANDMCDA
22、NIEL2000HIGHLIGHTTHATDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONISLESSLIKELYTOAFFECTJUDGMENTWHENEFFORTFULPROCESSINGISNECESSARYTOACCESSTHEINFORMATIONOURRESULTSCOMPLEMENTTHEIRSBYINDICATINGTHAT,CONDITIONALONCOGNITIVEEFFORTBEINGEXPENDED,DISCLOSEDINFORMATIONCANBEMORELIKELYTOAFFECTJUDGMENTGIVENTHATTRANSFORMATIONALFINANCIALSTATE
23、MENTANALYSISTECHNIQUESCOULDBEIMPLEMENTEDVIADECISIONAIDS,OURRESULTSALSOHAVEIMPLICATIONSFORPREDICTINGWHENDECISIONAIDIMPLEMENTATIONSWILLBESUCCESSFULPRIORRESEARCHSUGGESTSTHATDECISIONAIDRELIANCEDEPENDSONTHEBALANCEBETWEENAUSERSCONFIDENCEINTHEIRUNAIDEDJUDGMENTANDTHEIRCONFIDENCEINTHEAIDEININGETAL1997NELSONE
24、TAL2003OURRESULTSINDICATETHATEFFORTANDRECONCILIATIONALSOPLAYAROLEINRELIANCEPROVIDINGINFORMATIONEG,VIAADECISIONAIDRATHERTHANREQUIRINGPRODUCTIONOFINFORMATION,ORMAKINGDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONMOREACCESSIBLEVIASEARCHFACILITATINGTECHNOLOGYHODGEETAL2004,COULDAFFECTTHEEXTENTTOWHICHTHATINFORMATIONISRELIEDUPONINS
25、UBSEQUENTDECISIONMAKINGOURRESULTSHAVEIMPLICATIONSFORTHEONGOINGCONSIDERATIONBYACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSETTERSABOUTWHETHERLESSEESSHOULDRECOGNIZEORDISCLOSEASSETSANDLIABILITIESASSOCIATEDWITHOPERATINGLEASESASDISCUSSEDFURTHERINSECTIONII,THESECURITIESANDEXCHANGECOMMISSIONSEC2005HASEXPRESSEDCONCERNTHATMANYARRANGE
26、MENTSARESTRUCTUREDTOOBTAINTHEOFFBALANCESHEETTREATMENTALLOWEDFOROPERATINGLEASESWITHTHESECSENCOURAGEMENT,THEFASBHASADDEDACOMPREHENSIVELEASINGPROJECTTOITSAGENDAWHILEPRIORRESEARCHSUGGESTSTHATONEEFFECTOFREQUIRINGRECOGNITIONOFOPERATINGLEASESWOULDBETHATUSERSAREMORELIKELYTOATTENDTOINFORMATIONABOUTOPERATINGL
27、EASES,OURSTUDYSUGGESTSTHATANOTHEREFFECTWOULDBETHATTHEJUDGMENTSOFTHOSEUSERSWHOCONSTRUCTIVELYCAPITALIZEOPERATINGLEASESARENOTINFLUENCEDBYTHEAMOUNTOFEFFORTEXPENDEDONCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONTHEEFFECTSOFEFFORTANDRECONCILIATIONTHATWEIDENTIFYFORTHELEASINGCONTEXTCOULDALSOOCCURINOTHERFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALY
28、SISCONTEXTSINWHICHUSERSPERFORMTRANSFORMATIONALANALYSESFOREXAMPLE,USERSMIGHTCHOOSETOTRANSFORMFINANCIALSTATEMENTSTOACCOUNTFORDIFFERENCESINSTOCKCOMPENSATIONACCOUNTING,INVENTORYCOSTFLOWASSUMPTIONS,REVENUERECOGNITIONPRINCIPLES,PENSIONANDHEALTHCAREASSUMPTIONSANDFUNDEDSTATUS,ASSETSECURITIZATIONACCOUNTING,T
29、RANSITORYINCOMERECOGNITION,ETCFUTURERESEARCHCOULDEXAMINEHOWOURRESULTSGENERALIZETOOTHERCONTEXTSTHATREQUIREMOREORLESSEFFORTFULTRANSFORMATIONSOURRESULTSALSOCONTRIBUTETOTHEPSYCHOLOGYLITERATUREPRIORPSYCHOLOGYSTUDIESPROVIDEEVIDENCETHATINFORMATIONAFFECTSJUDGMENTMOREWHENPEOPLECHOOSETOPURSUETHEINFORMATIONBAS
30、TARDIANDSHAFIR1998REDELMEIERETAL2001OURRESULTSINDICATETHAT,REGARDLESSOFCHOICE,INFORMATIONAFFECTSJUDGMENTMOREWHENPEOPLEEXPENDEDEFFORTTOOBTAINIT,ATLEASTINSOMESETTINGSWEDONOTFINDTHATEXPLICITCHOICETOPURSUEINFORMATIONAFFECTSSUBSEQUENTJUDGMENT,BUTTHATLACKOFEFFECTCOULDBEDUETOPARTICIPANTSINOUREXPERIMENTVIEW
31、INGTHEIRCHOICEASBEINGNONCONTROVERSIALANOTHERUSEFULDIRECTIONFORFUTUREACCOUNTINGRESEARCHISTOFURTHERCONSIDERHOWCHOICETOPURSUEINFORMATIONAFFECTSSUBSEQUENTUSEOFTHATINFORMATIONTHERESTOFTHISPAPERPROCEEDSASFOLLOWSSECTIONIIPROVIDESBACKGROUNDANDOURHYPOTHESESSECTIONIIIDESCRIBESTHEEXPERIMENTALMETHODUSEDINEXPERI
32、MENTONE,ANDSECTIONIVSTATESTHERESULTSOFTHATEXPERIMENTSECTIONVDESCRIBESTHEMETHODANDRESULTSOFEXPERIMENTTWOSECTIONVIPROVIDESASUMMARYOFRESULTSANDDISCUSSESIMPLICATIONS,LIMITATIONS,ANDDIRECTIONSFORFUTURERESEARCHWEFINDNOSUPPORTFORTHEFINDINGBYPRIORPSYCHOLOGYRESEARCHBASTARDIANDSHAFIR1998REDELMEIERETAL2001THAT
33、THEEFFECTSOFINFORMATIONPURSUITDEPENDONADECISIONMAKERHAVINGCHOSENTOPURSUETHEINFORMATIONHOWEVER,ITISIMPORTANTTONOTETHATTHISLACKOFRESULTCOULDBEDUETOLOWPOWEROFOURCHOICETREATMENTPARTICIPANTSMAYHAVEVIEWEDUSINGTRANSFORMEDDATAASOBVIOUSLYNECESSARYTOBEABLETOPROVIDEANACCURATERISKASSESSMENT,ANDSOPERCEIVEDNOREAL
34、CHOICEBEINGMADEINFACT,WEDEPENDEDONVIRTUALLYALLPARTICIPANTSCHOOSINGTOOBTAININFORMATIONABOUTCONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONSOTHATWECOULDHOLDCONSTANTTHATALLPARTICIPANTSPOSSESSEDPOSTTRANSFORMATIONINFORMATIONWHENMAKINGTHEIRRISKASSESSMENTSTHOUGHMANYFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALYSISCHOICESARELIKELYSIMILARLYSTRAIGHTFOR
35、WARD,FUTURERESEARCHCOULDEXAMINEWHETHERTHEEFFECTSOFCHOICEARESTRONGERWHENPARTICIPANTSARECHOOSINGAMONGAPPROACHESTHATAREMORECONTROVERSIALREGARDINGALTERNATIVEEXPLANATIONSFOREFFORTEFFECTS,ONESURPRISINGRESULTISTHATDATAFROMBOTHEXPERIMENTSINDICATETHATPERCEIVEDEFFORTDOESNOTMEDIATETHEEFFECTOFEFFORTONRISKRATING
36、STHISRESULTCOULDBEDUETOASOMEWHATNOISYPERCEIVEDEFFORTMEASURE,BUTCOULDALSOINDICATETHATTHEEFFECTOFEFFORTONRISKRATINGSISLESSDUETOPERCEIVEDEFFORTPROVIDINGACUEOFIMPORTANCEORCREATINGDISSONANCEANDMOREBECAUSEEXERTINGEFFORTRESULTSINDEEPERPROCESSINGORENCOURAGESPARTICULARINFERENCESCONSISTENTWITHTHISVIEW,DEBRIEF
37、INGDATAFROMBOTHEXPERIMENTSINDICATETHATPARTICIPANTSBELIEVEDTHEYWEREBETTERINFORMEDINTHEHIGHEFFORTCONDITIONSREGARDLESSOFTHEIRPERCEIVEDEFFORT,ANDTHISPERCEIVEDINFORMENDLESSPARTIALLYMEDIATESTHEEFFECTOFEFFORTONRISKRATINGSFURTHERMORE,ALTHOUGHTHEHIGHSALIENCEOFLEASEINFORMATIONINBOTHCONDITIONSOFEXPERIMENTTWOSU
38、GGESTSTHATTHEEFFECTOFEFFORTONJUDGMENTDOESNOTOCCURBECAUSEOFDIFFERENTIALSALIENCEOFDISPLAY,ITSTILLMAYBETHECASETHATEFFORTINCREASESINFORMATIONSALIENCEINCREMENTALLYBEYONDTHATPROVIDEDBYDISPLAYASDISCUSSEDPREVIOUSLY,EXPERIMENTONESDESIGNDOESALLOWUSTOPRECLUDETHEALTERNATIVEEXPLANATIONTHATEFFORTAFFECTSJUDGMENTBE
39、CAUSEITRESOLVESUNCERTAINTY,ANDEXPERIMENTTWOALLOWSUSTOPRECLUDETHEALTERNATIVEEXPLANATIONTHATEFFORTAFFECTSJUDGMENTBECAUSEHIGHEFFORTPARTICIPANTSHAVEACCESSTODIFFERENTINFORMATIONAUSEFULDIRECTIONFORFUTUREWORKWOULDBETOEXAMINEFURTHERTHEMECHANISMSBYWHICHEFFORTAFFECTSJUDGMENTFUTURERESEARCHCOULDALSOGENERALIZEOU
40、RRESULTSTOOTHERGROUPSOFFINANCIALDECISIONMAKERSANDPRACTICECONTEXTSOUREXPERIMENTSUSEFINANCEORIENTEDMBASTUDENTSTOPROXYFORFINANCIALSTATEMENTUSERS,BECAUSETHESEPARTICIPANTSHADRECENT,HOMOGENEOUSEXPERIENCEABOUTAFINANCIALSTATEMENTANALYSISTECHNIQUECONSTRUCTIVECAPITALIZATIONOFOPERATINGLEASESTHATCOULDBEUSEDTOTR
41、ANSFORMFINANCIALSTATEMENTSTOAPPEARASIFDISCLOSEDINFORMATIONHADBEENRECOGNIZEDELLIOTTETAL2007PROVIDEEVIDENCETHATSUCH“SELECTMBASTUDENTSAREGOODPROXIESFORNONPROFESSIONALINVESTORS,BUTOURPARTICIPANTSMAYALSOPROXYFORPROFESSIONALUSERS,GIVENTHATTHEYAREEMPLOYINGARELATIVELYSOPHISTICATEDTRANSFORMATIONALANALYSISSKI
42、LLFUTURERESEARCHCOULDSEEKTOGENERALIZETHISRESULTTOMOREEXPERIENCEDANALYSTSANDTOVARIOUSPRACTICESETTINGS,CONSIDERINGHOWVARIABLESPRESENTINSUCHSETTINGSEG,INCENTIVES,TIMEPRESSURE,ETCMIGHTMODERATETHEEFFECTSWEOBSERVESOURCEWILLIAMBTAYLERVOL82,NO32007PP731758译文财务报表分析中的信息追求选择的效用，投入，与统一之前的很多研究表明，传达信息的表格影响用户判断的范围
43、。一般来说，利润表和资产负债表中的信息比附注或不太显明的财务报表中披露的信息更能影响用户的判断。当披露对用户来说意味着，信息是不怎么有用的（考特和季默2003；梁和张2006）或是与标准制定者降级披露信息的理论相一致（财务会计标准委员会1984年发表的财务会计概念NO5）时，这些“格式效应”就可能发生。然而，即使披露的信息是有用的，用户可能也不会考虑，因为人类处理信息的限制使得披露的信息不容易获得（麦恩斯和麦克丹尼尔2000）。一种帮助用户考虑已披露信息的含义的方法，是改变财务报表使它表现的如同信息已经被确认（雷夫辛等人2004）。某些披露的明确目的是允许此种转变（见美国财务会计准则123号F
44、ASB1995关于股票期权的部分）。我们的论文探讨了用户判断如何被这种改变过的财务报表分析技术所影响。而之前的研究发现，披露的信息对用户判断的影响小于已确认的信息，我们预测，如果披露表现得如同它们已经被确认的话，它会比最初确认的信息对用户的判断产生更大的影响，因为转型需要明确的选择去追求信息，需要付出努力的处理，并提供转型前后数字的统一。为了验证我们的假设，我们需要研究那些具备转变的财务报表分析技能知识的用户判断。因此，我们进行了两个实验，作为参与者的是以前学过经营租赁建设性资本化的MBA学生，他们会采用从因哈弗等人（1991）那学来的步骤。在这两个实验中，参与者的任务是评估特许餐饮业内两家公
45、司的相对风险，其中一家公司（大堂的公司）没有经营性租赁而另一家公司（张的中国餐馆）有大量的经营性租赁。这个任务中财务报表分析的重要元素是，通过建设性的资本化经营租赁将张的资产负债表转化，从而增强两家公司的可比性。在一个221的课题设计中，实验1有5个条件。设计的22部分控制“选择”（即，参与者是否被自动给予了建设性资本化的效用或是必须选择得到该信息）和“投入”（即，参与者是否要使用一个模板来对建设性资本经营租赁进行必要的计算，或是已经有了那些计算的结果）。这四个部分就是“高度统一”，其中提供给参与者协调前中后数字的一致。设计的第一部分是一个基准“低选择、低投入、低统一”提出的财务信息的经营租赁
46、在这个设计中，基准“低选择、低投入、低统一”描述的是一个纯粹确认的设置，在其中所有的租赁是资本化的，“高选择、高投入、高统一”描述的是财务报表用户目前面临的部分，他选择对建设性资本化经营租赁加以必要的投入，其他部分则描述了两个极端间可能的干预性条件。选择高低条件间的比照（保持经常性的高度统一）揭示了选择的效用，投入高低条件间的比照（保持经常性的高度统一）揭示了投入的效用，而统一高低条件间的比照（保持经常性的低选择和低投入）揭示了统一的效用。实验一结果表明，参与者的风险判断受投入和统一条件的明显影响，而不受选择条件的影响。具体来说，当参与者运用建设性资本化（即加以投入而非仅仅接受建设性资本化的效
47、用），并且统一转化前后的财务报表（即突出建设性资本化的效用）后，他们评估张的餐馆就是相对更具风险性的。汇报的数据表明，这些效用至少部分发生，因为投入和统一影响参与者对于他们熟悉程度的看法。实验二是为了进一步检验实验一中指明的投入的效用。实验一向低投入的参与者提供了建设性资本化的结果，但不是整个完成好的建设性资本化模板，以便那些参与者在汇报中可以完成模板以提供知识检查数据。然而，这要求建设性资本化模板中包含的信息差异可能导致实验一中投入产生的风险等级的差异。因此，实验二提供给参与者持续访问建设性资本化样板的机会，并且12主体间设计参与者是进行了模板中的计算还是得到了完成好的模板时是不同的。结果再
48、一次说明了投入的效用。额外的数据表明，高投入条件下的参与者花费较多的时间在风险分析工作上，而花费较多投入的参与者不会位于条件中较高的风险等级。这些研究结果提供了几手研究资料。首先，考虑到格式的效用，我们的研究结果表明，确认的信息并不总是比确定披露的信息更影响判断。在转化的的财务报表分析要求大量的投入或是统一分散的信息的情形下，披露的信息可能比它最初确认的更能影响用户的判断。具有讽刺意味的是，尽管信息可能因为它不太有用而被披露而非确认，为使信息被考量的努力加工还是必要的，但是随后转化分析产生的分散统一可能导致信息在更大范围上影响判断，而非它最初被确认的那样。我们的研究结果也为麦恩斯和麦克丹尼尔（
49、2000）考量格式对用户判断的效用的观点提供了启示。他们强调评估信息时如果进行了必要的努力加工的话，披露的信息不太可能会影响判断。我们的研究结果表明，在付出了有意识的努力下，披露的信息更有可能影响判断，这一研究结果补充了他们的观点。假定转换财务报表分析技术可以通过决策辅助来执行，我们的研究结果也暗含了预测决策辅助执行成功的时间。先前的研究表明，决策辅助信赖取决于用户对于他们独立判断和辅助判断信心之间的平衡（艾宁等1997；尼尔森等，2003）。我们的研究结果表明，投入和统一在信赖中也扮演着一个角色。提供信息（例如，通过一项决策辅助）而非要求产生信息，或者通过搜索便利技术使披露的信息更加容易获得（霍奇等，2004），这些会影响随后决策中依赖信息的程度。会计准则制定者正在考量承租人是否应该确认或披露与经营性租赁相关的资产和负债，我们的研究结果为此提供了一些暗示。正如第二部分进一步讨论的那样，证券及交易委员会明确关注那些为了获取经营性租赁允许的资产负债表外处理而构建的许多安排。在证券交易委员会的鼓励下，美国财务会计标准委员会已经在议程中增加了一项全面的租赁议题。尽管先前的研究表明，经营性租赁要求确认的一个效用是用户更有可能处理有关经营性租赁的信息，但我们的研究表明，另一个效用是那些建
