Paradox of Choice

What is the paradox of choice?

The paradox of choice is the idea, popularized by Barry Schwartz's 2004 book The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, that a larger set of options can sometimes make choosing harder or reduce satisfaction. The related empirical question is usually called choice overload.

The effect is not universal. Scheibehenne and colleagues (2010) found an average effect near zero across varied experiments. Chernev and colleagues (2015) found that complexity, task difficulty, uncertainty about preferences and decision goals help explain when overload occurs.

When can more choice become difficult?

Imagine comparing dozens of similar plans without knowing which features matter to you. That is a different task from choosing among familiar options when you know exactly what you want. The number of choices is only part of the problem.

More choice can help or hinder. Before removing options, consider how difficult they are to compare and how clear the person's preferences are.