Two psychologists out of Columbia University conducted a unique experiment on the topic of choice. They set up a display table at a grocery store with 6 different types of jam. Over a hundred people stopped by for a sample. 31% of them decided to buy a jar.
The next day, the same display table was set up, but this time with 24 types of jam. Even more people stopped by for a sample than the day before…but guess how many of them ended up making a purchase? 4%
More isn’t always better. Sometimes when we’re offered too many choices it can increase our anxiety.
Over the past three weeks, we’ve covered a lot of different topics: pain, fear, safety, empowerment, cognitive soothing, somatic tracking, systematic desensitization, conditioned responses, overcoming repression, and embracing joy.
As comprehensive as the program is, it may leave you with the following question:
“Where do I start?”
Now that you’re familiar with the layout of the program, it can be helpful to skim through it a second time.
As you review the different topics, see what speaks to you: Do you prefer communicating messages of safety, or taking a strong stance of empowerment? Are you more interested in leaning in to emotions, or tackling conditioned responses?
You don’t need to do everything. This is an overview of different paths to recovery, and you can choose the parts that resonate with you.
Above all, have patience. It can take time to develop neural pathways, but trust in your capacity for change. Like Winnie the Pooh said, “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
The study Alan has referred to is indeed a classic I am familiar with;
https://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/345/345 Articles/Iyengar & Lepper (2000).pdf
This controversial study has been replicated many times since then.
Done close to 20 years ago, it spurred many advances in consumer psychology and it has effected the ways in which we are all lured into purchasing products of all kinds. It is an example of consumerism psychology.
That it works when we go to the store to buy groceries, phones, stereo equipment etc. is a given. Why it works is perhaps an even more interesting story.
The heuristics involved in creating the mental shortcuts we all use daily in out everyday life are essential to our functioning in our society. Because they govern automatic and intuitive processes in judgement and decision making they work well when determining
everyday decisions. It is also well known that these rules can lead us astray when it comes to rational decision making, figuring probabilities, as well as perceiving logical circumstances. This is known as cognitive biases.
One of the many reasons why it can cause anxiety
especially in a person with a perfectionist personality, is that with many more choices comes the increased possibility of making the wrong choice or decision. However, this is not always an accurate perception. An understanding of this goes a long way to mitigate its effects on anxiety.
The "gamblers fallacy" is a good example of this. I am sure you know people like this or have even experienced the same sort of logic yourself, I know I have. That is, if you lose for a long time, the odds of you winning get greater. But reality is, even if you have flipped a coin 10,000 times and each time it came up heads, the odds are still 50/50 that it will come up tails on the 10,001st toss!
There is a large body of study on decision making and why we make the decisions we make. However, to infer that good decision making in this particular instance should be based on if something "resonates" with you is not something I am familiar with that has been proven to be true. I say that because of the scientific nature of medicine, science and psychology of the subject. In some instances it might apply, like purchasing a home, or choosing something to wear, or picking a painting. But in this case where there are so many other factors that effect ones decision making processes in making important, life changing decisions it surprises me that they go without mention.
The greater majority of people who contribute to this site seem very intelligent and would surely benefit from understanding the many factors that can effect decision making. Not including them is a missed opportunity IMHO.
Explaining something in simplistic childish terms to an audience who is articulating a need for greater understanding only goes to enhance their acceptance of limited choices as one might do to a child when too many choices can lead to frustration for them. From what I have seen and read virtually everyone on this site has the capacity, curiosity, tenacity and intelligence for more then that.
Of the many hats that Herbert Simon [
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_A._Simon (Herbert A. Simon - Wikipedia) ] wore, one of those was as a cognitive scientist. He coined the term "bounded rationality" being that decision making can be bound by time limitations, depth and breath of knowledge, and cognitive limitations.
The use of catering to resonance ie. emotions and feelings, is well known to politicians, lawyers, salesmen and influence peddlers of all stripes. Many fall prey to its charms. I could go on, but I will leave you with a bit of my own Pooh knowledge; understanding that I am being hypocritical.
"When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it".
-- Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A. A. Milne
It seems not only Dame Shirley but that famous Brit Winnie has infiltrated the US psyche.
but for those who aren't on the notification list, but read the threads....
