Imagine that one day you go to a big supermarket to buy milk. When you get to the dairy shelf of this store, you will be faced with dozens of options. These days, you have to decide on the percentage of milk fat, and there are also different types of milk to choose from, such as cow’s milk, almond milk, and soy milk. In this situation, you stand dumbfounded in front of the shelf and do not know which milk to choose because you have a paradox of choice. This phenomenon results from the modern world and is one of today’s problems. This article explains this phenomenon and everything you need to know about it.
What is meant by the paradox of choice?
Inconsistency in decision-making means that although we think that having multiple options makes a choice more accessible and more satisfying, this is not always the case. The existence of many options means more effort to make a decision. In this situation, there is a possibility that we will be unhappy with our decision.
In the example of buying milk, if we want to choose between 1% and 2% fat milk, we can more easily say which one we prefer. The reason is that we weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each. However, when the options in front of us increase, it becomes more challenging to identify the best ones.
The paradox of choice is that when there are too many options, instead of increasing our freedom to have what we want, our freedom to choose is limited.
Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder, and learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is even more difficult.
From the book The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz
Formation of the theory of paradox of choice
This theory was first used by the American psychologist Barry Schwartz in 2004 in his book entitled “Paradox of Choice; Why is less? He has long been engaged in interdisciplinary studies of economics and psychology and is interested in the impact of choices on the happiness of citizens in Western societies. Schwartz finds that the range of options before us has become much more comprehensive than before. However, consumer satisfaction has not increased as much as traditional economic theories would have expected.
One of the basic principles in western societies is freedom. This freedom often comes with choice. There is a belief that more choice means more freedom. Instead of having to choose between 1 or 2 options, people can choose between relatively unlimited options. Companies and businesses also follow this theory and believe having more choices will benefit the customer.
However, Schwartz found that the existence of these many options in the modern world causes people to be less satisfied with their decisions. In his research, he concluded that the presence of many options, instead of making people happy with their decision, makes them dissatisfied.
Schwartz explains in his book that there is a fine line between freedom of choice and confusion among many options. In his essay “Doing Things Better and Feeling Worse,” which he wrote with Andrew Ward in the year his book was published, he claimed that unlimited freedom is debilitating.
Consequences of the paradox of choice
This simple phenomenon has many consequences. These consequences are related to economic issues and affect our relationships.
1. Influencing decision-making on all matters of daily life
With the spread of social, scientific, and technological advances, we have more options than previous generations. Choosing milk in the supermarket is just one example of the difficulty of choice when faced with many options. There are other times when the choice becomes difficult. Buying clothes or groceries, selecting the right car to drive, buying skincare and beauty products, choosing a restaurant to eat, and hundreds of other things we do throughout the day should also be added to this list.
2. Increased anxiety
Although many options seem to increase consumer satisfaction, this is not true. Since the possibility o,f finding an option that fits our needs and wants increases, we may get confused and anxious. If we are told to choose between options A and B, it becomes easier to choose option A, but in choosing between option A, it is much more challenging to measure the value of A. In the second case, the pressure of choice is more significant, and ultimately, the probability that we will be more dissatisfied with our choice increases.
3. The effect of the Internet on the paradox of choice
Today, the paradox of choice has become a problem for the economy and consumer satisfaction and a phenomenon that shows itself in different aspects of life. The reason is that the possibilities are more and even almost infinite. The Internet and social networks have made it easier to see these different options, and we no longer have to visit the store in person to see them.
These media have also changed the way of choosing a life partner. Now, with the help of many applications, anyone can think of dozens of options for marriage.
4. The contradiction of choice and perfectionism
The phenomenon of the paradox of choice affects perfectionists the most. These people are always looking for the best choice. When there are more options, it becomes more difficult for them to identify the best option. This issue may eventually lead to more regret for these people.
5. Increased opportunity cost
Opportunity cost is the price we pay at the time of choice. In fact, by choosing one option, we give up the benefits of other options. The profit we lose is called opportunity cost.
If there are more options, their opportunity cost is also higher. This means that when the paradox of choice occurs, we spend the profits of more options to reach the final decision.
What do the critics of the paradox of choice theory say?
Although many studies show that people become more dissatisfied with their decisions when they have more options, some studies also reject this theory. One of these researches relates to the “decoy or prey effect” theory. According to the illusionist effect theory, we feel better when we have, for example, three options to choose from, compared to when we have 1 or 2 options in front of us.
Another phenomenon that stands before the paradox of choice is “aversion to a right to choose.” This phenomenon occurs when people have only one option, and no matter how attractive this option is, they are reluctant to choose it because they have nothing to compare it to.
In response, Barry Schwartz acknowledges these conflicting findings but argues that we arrive at an intermediate conclusion if all research on the selection effect is combined. Sometimes the existence of more options leads to an increase in satisfaction, and sometimes this issue leads to a decrease in happiness.
Schwartz believes his theory is about balancing having too many options and not having enough rather than ignoring the effect of choice. According to him, research with different results from his theory does not discredit his work but shows that he should study more for people’s happiness.
The reason for the importance of the paradox of choice theory
In today’s world, competition is not only limited to commercial companies but also in the minds of consumers. As consumers, we always feel the pressure to choose the best. Our choices should always be better than other people’s choices. We wish to enroll our children in schools that are better ranked. We buy smartphones with better screens and longer battery life. We buy cars that are more luxurious and comfortable with more fuel consumption. We make these decisions to improve our public image. The bitter truth is that we continue to turn a blind eye to this. Maybe it’s time to realize how fake and fake this game is.
A solution to get rid of the paradox of choice
Let us explain the solution to this paradox with an example of ordering at a restaurant. You may come across a menu of various soups when visiting a restaurant. In this situation, the best thing to do is to pay attention to the experiences of other restaurant customers. Usually, in this situation, most people get anxious, the running costs of the restaurant owner increase, and as a result, the quality of service and food decreases.
These conditions are neither in your interest nor the restaurant owner’s interest. The day or restaurant’s particular offer will help you in these cases. Each restaurant’s menu introduces some dishes as a special offer. This offer encourages the customer to follow the recommendation of the restaurant owner. As soon as our eyes catch the phrase “deal of the day or special,” we feel we have found a way out of the confusion. In this situation, we think that the special offer is pea soup. This soup must have been freshly prepared. I bet you buy peas from the day market because now is the season for peas! In this way, it becomes easier to choose, the customer’s anxiety is reduced, and the running costs of the restaurant owner are also reduced.
We can use the same solution in other daily affairs. In the same example of ordering in a restaurant, we can visit the restaurant’s website, see the menu, and read the comments of previous customers about those dishes. In fact, by paying attention to the experiences of others, we are quickly freed from the anxiety of making decisions.
Introducing the book The Paradox of Choice
Author: Barry Schwartz
Number of pages: 248
In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains how having a good thing can harm our mental and emotional health. In this book, he presents practical steps to limit and manage choices, create order to focus on critical options, and ultimately be more satisfied with our choices in a simple, attractive, and engaging language.
you say
Sometimes the existence of many options does not make us happy. In this situation, we think about which option is what we want. As a result, we get stressed and confused. The paradox of choice is not limited to a specific part of life. This phenomenon may affect all aspects of our daily life and even disrupt them sometimes. To eliminate this paradox, we can improve our decision-making skills or consider the experiences of others.
Have you ever experienced the paradox of choice? What is the best thing to do in such a situation?
Warning! This article is only for educational purposes; to use it, it is necessary to consult a doctor or specialist.
