Barry Schwartz's experiments: less is more

When the number of options exceeds a certain threshold, information overload can produce a level of stress leading to paralysis. And it is that sometimes it can be difficult to make a decision when we have so many paths to take. The more elements we have to exclude, the greater the stress and indecision.

Now, thanks to letting go of options we become capable people; otherwise, we would have an excess of physical and emotional load that would make the journey much more expensive.

• Related article: "The powerful habit of choice in life"

Barry Schwartz and the paradox of choice

This week, we spoke to the Mensalus Institute for Psychological and Psychiatric Assistance about the paradox of choice through the experiments of Barry Schwartz.

What do Barry Schwartz's experiments show?

The psychologist and professor Barry Schwartz argued in his book The paradox of choice (2004), that the reasoning "more options is more well-being" is not necessarily true. A priori, a greater range of possibilities is positive and increases the welfare of individuals, but if the number of alternatives crosses a certain threshold, negative effects may appear.

Thus, if the threshold is exceeded excessively, the disadvantages can outweigh the advantages, producing the so-called paradox of choice. What at first is understood as "add", in reality, turns against us and makes free decision difficult.

What did the experiments consist of?

One of the experiments was carried out in a supermarket. It consisted of offering a tasting of a brand of jam. Two measurements were made: in the first test, the display offered many flavors; in the second, there were few types of jam that users could taste. In both cases, it was recorded how many people came to try the jam and how many ended up buying it.

Well, when there were more flavors on the display, the number of people who decided to taste was greater, but very few ended up buying. On the other hand, when the number of options was reduced, fewer people came to try but almost all bought. Because? Simple: before so many possibilities they were unable to decide. The conclusion was that if the brand offered few flavors, its sales would increase.

An article published in the Country entitled "Less is more" compared this experiment with the strategy used in Greek restaurants in New York. The menu of said locals was very extensive. The bombardment of dishes on the menu increased indecision among customers. This caused them to put the options aside and ask for the recommendations. It was then that the waiter took the opportunity to point out those dishes where the restaurant made the most profit.

What other experiments did this psychologist carry out?

Schwartz fixed his attention on the university students. In several experiments, different groups of students were proposed the possibility of increasing grades. In one of them, the teacher gave the opportunity to improve the score by writing a voluntary work. For the first group of students, he provided the opportunity to choose from a few topics; to the second, he proposed a long list of possible ones.

look. The number of students writing the essay was significantly higher in the first group. Choosing among limited options was easy for them. However, choosing from an extensive repertoire of topics led the students to stop the process. Most preferred to postpone the decision and, as a consequence, end up abandoning the possibility of raising a grade.

With this type of experiment it was possible to demonstrate how the excess of options produced paralysis instead of motivating towards action.

Because?

The excess of options in all cases produced stress (to a greater or lesser degree). Having to think about the "crossroads" more than desired (taking into account the situation and the possible gains) led to the person to stop serving or take responsibility (I don't buy/I don't choose any dish/I don't make an effort to do work to raise note).

This same thing can happen to us in daily life. When we wander between an excess of options we end up getting bored and even exhausted. The result is non-action (“I have seen so many dresses that I no longer know which one I prefer, now I doubt more than at first”).

Doubt is an element known to all. Precisely one of the strategies to deal with doubt is to limit the number of options and draw concrete action plans. Of course, we can always find new alternatives, new strategies, new foci to attack but...

...Is this always what we need? What level of stress does extensive range of options in our mind? What helps us close chapters and what makes it difficult for us? Answering these questions slows down thinking and delimits the range of possibilities.

What parallels can we draw between Schwartz's experiments and the intervention in Psychotherapy?

From Psychotherapy we work to broaden the patient's vision of the world, detect untried solutions and propose new intervention strategies. However, we will always work taking efficiency and saving vital energy into account. Anchoring yourself in an infinite number of possibilities leads the person to enter a loop and stay in contemplation instead of heading towards the decision.

This happens for fear of being wrong: resignation is the key element. The more you resign, the decision generates more stress and anxiety.

Again we wonder... Because?

It's not about the things we choose, but about all those things we lose when choosing. The possibilities are mutually exclusive alternatives, and no one can take both paths at a crossroads simultaneously. If I choose to have the entrecote as a second, I do not choose to eat the duck. It is true that another day I can go back to the restaurant and eat it, but at that moment I must choose what to eat (“Will the entrecote be well done?”, “Will I like the sauce that accompanies the duck?”).

The truth is that the more dishes, the more chances I have of being "wrong" and not choosing the best culinary work, I give up more flavors and experiences. This very banal decision can translate into many other much more important ones (study centers, careers, job offers, etc.).

What does renunciation bring to our life?

Resignation is part of the maturation process of the human being. Choosing increases our security and self-esteem. Thanks to letting go of options, we become capable people; otherwise, we would have an excess physical and emotional load that would make the journey much more expensive.

Making things easy for ourselves when deciding involves contemplating the options based on our reality. The possibilities, perhaps, are many, but it will be our responsibility to consider only those that respond to our need and that of the people around us.