White or blue shirt, coffee or tea, peach jam or raspberry, car or public transport, meat or fish, cinema or afternoon on a terrace, wine or beer, potato tortilla with or without onion.
A study He estimated that we take Between 10,000 and 40,000 decisions a daybut our brain prefers not to make it too complicated. The paradox of the choice is its personal revenge that makes, The more options You have to choose, less satisfactory is the choice.
When choosing becomes a problem
Currently making decisions has become a Unexpected stress source and discontent. The funny thing is that this phenomenon is produced by having Too many options available to choose. The choice paradox explains why, despite having more alternatives than ever, those decisions are less satisfactory for those who perform them and experience greater anxiety after deciding.
This phenomenon, studied and popularized By psychologist Barry Schwartz, he reveals that the abundance of options can be a psychological trap. As he says, “instead of becoming happier, an abundance of options tends to block, frustrate and cause the persistent feeling that it could have chosen better.” This paradox affects all aspects, both in personal life with everyday purchases, and Important decisions in the professional or work environment.
A study Of the psychologists Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper showed that consumers were less likely to buy when they had to choose between 24 jam flavors than when they only had 6 flavors. Alternative overload not only complicates the decision, it also reduces satisfaction with the chosen.
A study jointly carried out between different US researchers revealed that, although the variety in the election tends to be considered as a positive option, the excess options actually has negative connotations Emotional since it takes the brain to two states.
The first state is a Excessive comparison effort of elements that generates a greater mental burden at the time of making the decision, and then moving to a state of anxiety and dissatisfaction at the doubt of whether the most accurate decision has been made. Something that people of success like Jeff Bezos They have had to learn To make your decisions.
Maximizers and satisfiers: two styles of deciding
A Psychological study Posted in American Psychological Association revealed that people They face decision making with two differentiated styles: maximizers and satisfiers.
Maximizers always seek the best possible option, exhaustively comparing all alternatives before deciding. This group tends to experience more dissatisfaction, doubts and repentance, since “the process of looking for the perfect option can be endless and exhausting.” They are easy prey for analysis by analysis: Have so many options to choose from that they are unable to opt for one.
On the other hand, the satisfiers are made up of an option that, although not fit in all requirements, meets certain criteria of sufficiency No need to analyze all possibilities. It is simply an option good enough As if to be the right, regardless of whether it is the “perfect.”
The Research in this regard They have shown that satisfiers are usually happier and less anxious after making a decision, since they do not become obsessed with what they could have chosen and focus on enjoying their choice, while maximizing “tend to experience less satisfaction and more regret,” the authors of those investigations point out.
Strategies to choose better
The directors of large corporations, whose decisions depends on the future of thousands of employees and the money of their investors, must take into account this paradox when making their decisions.
To avoid falling into the choice paradox trap, there are some strategies recommended by psychology experts. One of the most effective is to limit the number of options to considerfocusing only on those that really meet our personal needs or values. For example, it is one of the reasons that led Mark Zuckerberg to reduce the choice of your costumeslimited to a gray shirt and blue roofs.
As Barry Schwartz points out, “by reducing options and focusing on what really matters, we can make more satisfactory decisions and live with less anxiety. “
Another useful strategy is to accept that it is not always possible to find the perfect option and that, in many cases, “good enough” is more than enough. Adopt a satisfactory mentality allows you to take most agile decisions and enjoy more about the result.
This strategy is especially relevant in the business world, since dedicating too much time to make a decision It can lead to stop the company’s progress and let the competition take advantage.
He world of technology And video games are full of examples of such decisions in which the decision has been made to launch a product that is already good enough, even if it is not perfect. The iPhone, without going any further, is one of them.
Image | Unspash (Vladislav Babieko, Holigil 27, Victoriano Izquierdo)
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