When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing?

TLDR

Psychological theory suggests that personal choice generally enhances affect and motivation, leading to the belief that more choice is always better. The authors discuss implications for future research. Experiments show that offering a limited set of six options increases purchase likelihood, satisfaction, and essay quality compared to larger sets of 24 or 30 options.

Abstract

Current psychological theory and research affirm the positive affective and motivational consequences of having personal choice. These findings have led to the popular notion that the more choice, the better-that the human ability to manage, and the human desire for, choice is unlimited. Findings from 3 experimental studies starkly challenge this implicit assumption that having more choices is necessarily more intrinsically motivating than having fewer. These experiments, which were conducted in both field and laboratory settings, show that people are more likely to purchase gourmet jams or chocolates or to undertake optional class essay assignments when offered a limited array of 6 choices rather than a more extensive array of 24 or 30 choices. Moreover, participants actually reported greater subsequent satisfaction with their selections and wrote better essays when their original set of options had been limited. Implications for future research are discussed.