Default effect: what is it and how does it affect us

Are we as owners of our decisions as we think? Or, on the contrary, do we let ourselves be carried away on many more occasions than we think by what is already given to us?

Although we are not aware of it, on many occasions our ability to choose is influenced by external agents of which we have no less knowledge. This is what happens with the default effect. Throughout this article we will clarify what this dynamic of thought consists of, as well as what are causes and how we can take advantage of it for our own benefit.

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What is the default effect?

The default effect or the "default effect" is a theory associated with consumer psychology which establishes that in a situation or context in which we have to make a choice, it is much more likely that we will stick with the one that is marked or selected by default.

The reason for this is thinking about which choice to make involves a waste of energy that people tend to avoid

, so it is much more likely that we opt for that choice in which we do not have to do anything. That is, in the one that is already marked by default. Hence the name "default".

As expected, companies and organizations are aware of this fact so they take advantage of these thought dynamics to guide our behavior in the way that they achieve the maximum Benefits.

An example of this phenomenon

A valid example would be one in which when we register on a web page, the "Yes, I want to receive information" box is marked by default. According to the default effect, the most probable fact is that we unconsciously accept all the terms and conditions that are marked by default. Hence, on numerous occasions we find ourselves receiving advertising from countless companies that we do not remember having visited or accepted.

Compared to other tricks used in consumer psychology to guide our behavior, the default effect is much more imperceptible, but still it is highly effective in manipulating our behavior.

This type of manipulation may not seem too considerable at first, since the fact of receiving publicity on time is something relatively little annoying and easy to sort out. However, the people in charge of designing this type of questionnaires and processes have greater power. than we imagine, since they make a series of decisions for us that we do not even notice.

If we take into account that the vast majority of consumers never change the configuration that both computers and mobile phones arrive with by default; nor do they stop to read carefully the conditions or small boxes when filling in a series of forms (both online and paper), we will discover that someone somewhere made these decisions for U.S.

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Beyond marketing

Another example that may impact a little more is that, in countries such as Spain, Portugal or Austria, when a person registers to obtain the drive the option to become an organ donor appears by default, so if the person does not pay attention and does not want to be a donor of organs, volunteered without being aware of it. In this way companies, organizations and governments predetermine our decisions.

Economist Richard Thaler and legal researcher Cass Sunstein wrote in their book about the implications of consumer psychology in human behavior that the list of areas in which we are influenced by the default effect is much broader, ranging from topics mentioned above to the order of items in a menu or the default temperature of room thermostats. job.

Therefore, the default effect is not only associated with consumption, but also with the intention that we continue certain steps according to the interests of some organizations That, it must be said, they do not always have to be harmful or harmful.

How does it influence us?

Under the influence of the default effect there are a series of psychological procedures that make it possible. These psychological processes help us to better understand how it works in our mind and why it affects us so often.

The origins of the default effect lie in the following causes.

1. Need to follow a recommendation

Our mind assumes the idea that if an option is the one that is given by default it's because it's actually the best. This fact conditions our perception of what we choose.

2. Cognitive effort

As we mentioned earlier, reflecting on an election supposes a cognitive drain that people tend to save themselves unconsciously. So normally we usually leave what is pre-established as it is.

3. Change of meaning

It does not imply the same moral weight to leave the option "I don't want to be an organ donor" checked than to have it checked by ourselves. If the default option is the opposite, removing it will cause us to experience slight anguish and a feeling of guilt.

4. Exchange cost

When we reject one election already marked in favor of another, we may be risking a series of changes that we do not know about. Therefore, there is a high probability that we will remain in a conservative attitude and let's leave everything as it is.

5. Loss aversion

The option that comes by default tends to be the benchmark when comparing the other alternatives and it will always look more attractive. Therefore changing your mind can be perceived as a loss of something good or positive.

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How is this effect applied?

As we have seen throughout the article, there are many areas in which you can take advantage of the default effect. However, not all of them have to be virtual or have the financial issue as their objective.

A real and very striking example is the following. In the governing body of a New York high school they were really concerned about the low consumption of healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, in the school cafeteria.

Given this fact, they decided to change the location of the salad bar, which was on one side against the wall, placing it in the center of the room; With which the students had to pass by before going to pay for the food.

Since children no longer had to expressly approach the salad bar to get food, and it was always in view, the consumption of vegetables and greens increased to the point of tripling.

How to use it to our benefit?

But not everything is alien to the default effect. Ourselves we can use it as a tactic to improve our lifestyle habits. If we pre-establish our environment so that it is difficult for us to do those things that are harmful to our health and easy those that benefit us, our behavior will end up being conditioned by this distribution.

For example, if we rearrange the pantry so that less healthy foods are farther away from our sight or out of our reach it is very likely that we consume them to a lesser extent than if it is the first thing we see.

In the same way if we place the mobile applications that distract us the most, such as games or social networks, in a remote place or in a separate folder, we will be much less forced to enter them and waste time every time we pick up the phone mobile.