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Research Article
Testing the tyranny of too much choice against the allure of more choice
Article first published online: 9 FEB 2009
DOI: 10.1002/mar.20273
© 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Issue
1520-6793/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=71320510dd3ee1c03a3c2b6d2e69bfd3cb62bb05 "Psychology and Marketing")
Psychology and Marketing
Special Issue: Assortment Structure and Choice
Volume 26, Issue 3, pages 280–298, March 2009
Additional Information
How to Cite
White, C. M. and Hoffrage, U. (2009), Testing the tyranny of too much choice against the allure of more choice. Psychol. Mark., 26: 280–298. doi: 10.1002/mar.20273
Publication History
- Issue published online: 9 FEB 2009
- Article first published online: 9 FEB 2009
- Abstract
- References
- Cited By
Abstract
When choosing among several options, people often defer choice. Previous research found that choice deferral can increase and/or decrease as the number of available options increases. To understand these contradictory findings, the assumption was made that people may defer choice for either of two reasons. The number of deferrals made in a controlled laboratory experiment that were inferred to be due to no options being good enough, decreased as the number of options increased. In contrast, the number of deferrals inferred to be due to there being uncertainty regarding which option was the best, increased. Observing these two effects simultaneously helps to explain the inconsistent results observed in previous research. It is also shown that these assumptions can account for the various relationships previously observed between the size of the choice set and the probability of choice deferral. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.