Particularly the initial phase of inspecting an exhibit is marked
by the transition from noticing it to approaching and scrutinizing it.
In the course of this step, visitors have to choose a particular exhibit
from a larger number of alternatives. However, this does not
necessarily imply that they engage in elaborate decision processes.
Instead, visitors usually do not spend much effort in selecting exhibits
since choosing the “wrong” exhibit does not have high costs,
does not have any serious consequences, and can be easily reversed
by simply choosing another one. Hence, according to Rounds
(2004; see Bitgood, 2006; for the similar “general value principle”),
visitors' behavior is guided by simple heuristics by which
they try to optimize their intrinsic rewards from an exhibition at
low mental and physical costs. Inspired by work on information
foraging theory, Rounds argues that visitors do not tend to plan
their behavior in a systematic way but instead decide heuristically
in a minute-by-minute manner which exhibit they will turn their