The Paradox Of Choice

« The paradox of choice »,

Or how the choice could have negative consequences.

« The paradox of choice »,

Or how the choice could have negative consequences.

• Introduction

1. The regrets

2. The « opportunity cost »

3. The expectations

4.The « self-blame »

• Conclusion

Modern western societies are known to be consumer societies. It is quite clear that a high level of living drag away the rightful necessity to have the choice. Compared to some really poor socities suffering the lack of choice, to be able to choose seems to be a terrific thing. But what could be said about the excess of choice ? Psychologist Barry Schwartz wrote about the bad consequences of having too much choice. One of them is that too much choice cause less satisfaction than few choices: that is why his thesis is called the « Paradox of choice ».1 According to him, there are four reasons explaining this decrease of satisfaction.

First, many choices create more regrets. One could not regret an imposed option, but can easily regret having intentionally chosen the wrong option between too many other. One would surely be disappointed with one decision remembering all the other posibilities that could be chosen. At restaurant, a steak really well cooked, but a bit too salty would be automaticaly regretted if there were ten other kind of steak on the menu, than if it was the only kind.

The second reason of less satisfaction with too many choices is the « opportunity cost ».1 The value given to a choice depends on what it is compared to. Make a choice is also miss so many other prospects. It is less satisfactory to take a decision when we always compare it to the others things we could have chosen. This same well cooked, but too salty steak would be less well appreciated compared to the ten other possible kind of steak on the menu, than if it was the only kind.

The third reason is that a lot of choices intensifies the expectations. With no choice, all seem good. But with a huge choice, we expect too much to our future choice. People match choice with perfection, that is why being able to choose increase expectation, and then descrease satisfaction : because nothing seems perfect in a wide panel of possibilities. The salty steak would seems even more salty because it would have been expected perfect among the ten other kind of steak, than if it was the only kind.

Finaly, less satisfaction is due to the « self-blame ».1 People match also choice with no possibility of « failure ».1 Without choice, being unsatisfied is obviously not attributed to the person who chose. In the same way, with too much choice, dissatisfaction is evidently only the fault of the person who chose. One would be angry with oneself having chosen a too salty steak,

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