Too much choice?

A trip to local supermarket…  85 different varieties and brands of crackers.  285 varieties of cookies.  165 varieties of “juice drinks”  75 iced teas  95 varieties of snacks (chips, pretzels, etc.)  61 varieties of sun tan oil and sunblock  80 different pain relievers  40 options for toothpaste  360 types of shampoo, conditioner, gel, and mousse.  90 different cold remedies and decongestants.  230 soups, including 29 different chicken soups  120 different pasta sauces  175 different salad dressings and if none of them suited, 15 extra-virgin  olive oils and 42 vinegars and make one’s own.  275 varieties of cereal

Freedom, choice and decision  Responsibility is the price for freedom  Decision is the price for choice  “The fact that some choice is good doesn’t necessarily mean that more choice is better” (Schwartz, 2004, p.87)

Problems of too many choices  Information problems – how can we access all information about all alternatives in order to make an informed choice?  Error problems – with more complex options, we are more likely to make mistakes of judgement.  Psychological problems – excess choice causes you to worry. It does not make you happier. In fact, quite the opposite – increased choice is accompanied by lower well-being.

Two types of people Satisficers are people who just need to get what is ‘good enough’ for their requirements. They consider options until they find what meets minimum criteria, and then select that option. Maximisers are those who need to get absolutely the best deal and so look at all the possible options.

What do maximizers feel?  Burden of gathering information  Regret, actual and anticipated, about not getting the ‘best deal’. What if the alternatives were actually better? What if I will regret buying this car?  Escalation of expectations. With more choice, maximisers tend to expect even more.  Self-blame. There is no excuse for a fiasco in a world where everything is possible.  Time regrets. The time spent choosing something is the time that could have been spent with close friends.  Unhappiness, disappointment, low self-esteem, jealousy and even depression.