Mind & behavior · 2009
When time is short, is choosing from 10 prizes harder and more frustrating than choosing from 3?
Yes—in this experiment, participants choosing from 10 prizes with limited time reported more difficulty and frustration than participants in the other conditions, which offered fewer prizes, more time, or both. The finding concerns choosing a prize for a drawing; the abstract does not establish whether it applies to everyday decisions more broadly.
Details
Researchers varied both the number of prizes available and the time allowed to choose. Participants read descriptions of either 3 or 10 prizes, selected one they could win in a drawing, and then reported how they felt about the decision.
The combination of more options and limited time produced greater reported difficulty and frustration than the other conditions. The larger selection also led to lower satisfaction, but it did not lead to less regret. Lower satisfaction should therefore not be treated as evidence of greater regret.
The abstract does not report the sample size, participants' characteristics, the exact time limits or the size of the differences. It supports a finding about this particular choice task, not a rule that more options always make decisions harder.
What do you think?
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