The paradox of choice ✍️
Did you ever have too many options which made you indecisive?
I had this yesterday.
For much of the past months, I didn't watch television alone. I either enjoyed it together with my girlfriend or did some other activities, like running, gaming,...
However, yesterday, my girlfriend was out and as I went for an indoor bike ride, I could suddenly decide on what to watch. I opened my iPad with Netflix & Disney, but then I had a hard time making a decision. So many options, yet, nothing seemed appealing at the time.
As my time was limited, I made a quick decision, where overall, I was "happy" with my decision, but I could not stop thinking about my decision difficulties.
So, I decided to do a bit of digging.
The paradox of choice
That's what it's called, introduced by Barry Schwartz.
The idea is that while more options might seem better, they can actually lead to anxiety and indecision.
Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard.
Barry Schwartz - The Paradox of Choice
The jam study
To illustrate the concept of the paradox of choice, Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper conducted an experiment in 2000.
They set up a table in a grocery store offering samples of jam.
- In one scenario, they offered 24 different flavours of jam for people to taste.
- In another scenario, they offered 6 different flavours of jam.
Shoppers were invited to sample the jams, and if they liked any, they could buy a jar. The researchers measured how many people stopped by to try the samples and how many of them actually made a purchase.
Results:
- More choices drew more interest: When 24 jams were offered, about 60% of shoppers stopped to sample the jams, compared to only 40% when just 6 jams were available.
- Fewer choices led to more purchases: Despite the larger crowd for the 24-jam display, only 3% of those who sampled ended up buying a jar of jam. In contrast, 30% of the shoppers who sampled from the 6-jam selection made a purchase.
Key Takeaways:
- More options attract more attention, but they make it harder for people to commit to a decision.
- Fewer options make the decision-making process simpler, which increases the likelihood of satisfaction and action (in this case, a purchase).
The lesson?
More isn’t always better.
In today’s world, we’re constantly bombarded with choices—whether it’s TV shows, apps, or even life decisions. The abundance of options often leads to a kind of decision paralysis, where we struggle to make a choice at all. And even when we do make a decision, we often second-guess it, wondering if we missed out on something better.
The solution
Less is more.
I’ll start by setting limits. If I know I’ll have some downtime, I pre-select a few shows or decide on a genre beforehand. This way, I avoid the endless scrolling trap.
I also apply this principle to other areas of my life: narrowing down options helps me focus and feel more satisfied with my choices.
In the end, the paradox of choice is a reminder that while having options is great, too many options can lead to unnecessary stress.
Sometimes, limiting our choices leads to greater peace—and better decisions.