The Paradox of Choice.Barry Schwartz
Barry Schwartz (born 1946) is an American psychologist. Schwartz is the Dorwin Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and social action at Swarthmore College. . The Paradox of Choice. New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of : Ecco, 2004. Barry Schwartz, the author of this well-researched and well-reasoned book, maintains that whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a retirement plan, everyday decisions--both big and small--have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choices with which we are presented. Many assume that more choice equals better options and greater satisfaction. Not so, says Schwartz. He argues that too much choice can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can lead you to blame yourself for any failures. This constellation Constellation, ship Constellation (kŏnstĭlā`shən), U.S. frigate, launched in 1797. It was named by President Washington for the constellation of 15 stars in the U.S. flag of that time. of obstacles can cause decision-making paralysis paralysis or palsy (pôl`zē), complete loss or impairment of the ability to use voluntary muscles, usually as the result of a disorder of the nervous system. , anxiety, and continual stress. And in a culture that tells you there is no excuse for falling short of perfection where your options are vast, excessive choice can result in clinical depression (studies indicate that the rate of clinical depression in America today is ten times greater than what it was at the turn of the twentieth century). What can we do to prevent being overwhelmed o·ver·whelm tr.v. o·ver·whelmed, o·ver·whelm·ing, o·ver·whelms 1. To surge over and submerge; engulf: waves overwhelming the rocky shoreline. 2. a. and miserable by the option glut glut pronounced as rut, slut Vox populi An excess of a service or skilled labor in a particular area. See Physician glut. that surrounds us? Schwartz suggests the following: * Be a "satisficer" not a "maximizer." (A satisficer sets limits on options to consider and makes decisions based on "good enough" rather than the "absolute best." A maximizer has to make the absolute best choice and as a result wastes lots of time and energy in making that choice since there is no absolute best choice in most cases.) * Pay less attention to what others around you are doing. * Lower your expectations about decisions. * Embrace certain voluntary constraints CONSTRAINTS - A language for solving constraints using value inference. ["CONSTRAINTS: A Language for Expressing Almost-Hierarchical Descriptions", G.J. Sussman et al, Artif Intell 14(1):1-39 (Aug 1980)]. on your freedom of choice, instead of rebelling against them. REVIEW BY MARTIN H. LEVINSON, PH.D. |
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