The Paradox of Choice: Do More Choices Make Us Happier?

Hi everyone and welcome back to another entry! While researching decision-making in behavioural economics, I came across something called the paradox of choice, which made me rethink how I approach decisions. We’ve always been told that having more choices is a good thing. More options mean more freedom, right? But according to psychologist Barry Schwartz, too much choice can backfire, making us feel overwhelmed, anxious, and even less satisfied with our decisions.

One of the most famous studies on this was by Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper, and I found it intriguing. They set up a jam-tasting station in a supermarket where on some days, they had 24 different flavours, and on others, they had just six. You’d expect that more choices would mean more sales, but it was the opposite. The broad selection attracted more people to browse, but hardly anyone bought anything. When the choices were limited to six, way more customers made a purchase. This stuck with me because I could instantly see how it applies to everyday life. We think we want lots of choices, but when we have too many options, making a decision feels impossible.

I started noticing how often this happens. Think about something as simple as choosing a show to watch on Netflix. I’ve spent more time scrolling through endless recommendations than actually watching anything. And even when I finally pick a movie, I sometimes keep wondering if there is a better option. Should I have chosen something funnier? Shorter? More critically acclaimed? This is a classic example of decision paralysis, where too many choices lead to overthinking and indecision. Instead of feeling happy about my decision, I’m left second-guessing it.

This ties into another economic concept: opportunity cost. Every choice comes at the expense of another, and the more alternatives we’re aware of, the harder it is to feel satisfied. If I’m trying to choose a restaurant, I’ll spend ages scrolling through reviews, looking at different menus, and comparing locations. But no matter where I end up, I’ll still have that tiny voice wondering if the sushi place would have been better than the burger place I chose. The more options we know about, the harder it is to feel like we made the “right” choice.

While looking into this, I also came across something called the maximiser vs satisficer theory, which I found was quite relevant. Maximisers are the people who try to make the absolute best decision possible, researching every option extensively before committing to something. Satisficers, on the other hand, go with the first choice that meets their needs and move on. Initially, I thought maximisers would be better decision-makers, but research shows they experience more stress, regret, and disappointment. They’re so focused on finding the “perfect” option that they struggle to enjoy their choices. Meanwhile, satisficers tend to be happier because they accept that their decision was good enough.

This made me think about how people approach big life decisions, like university applications. Some students spend months obsessing over every possible option, reading endless rankings, and stressing over whether they’ve chosen the “right” course. But at some point, more research doesn’t help—it just makes the process more stressful. There’s always going to be a “what if” factor, but if you’re constantly chasing the perfect decision, you’ll never feel fully content with the one you make.

What’s even more interesting is how businesses have adapted to this. Apple, for example, deliberately limits its product range. Compared to brands like Samsung, which releases dozens of different phone models, Apple keeps its lineup simple. This makes decision-making simple for customers, which might explain why their products feel more accessible despite being premium-priced. Restaurants do something similar—high-end places usually have small, curated menus because they know that too many choices can overwhelm diners. Even online services like Netflix have introduced “Top Picks for You” sections to cut down on decision fatigue.

So, what’s the takeaway? While having options is important, there is such a thing as too much choice. I came across a study that suggested people are happier with limited choices because they don’t feel as much regret or FOMO about what they didn’t pick. Since looking into this, I’ve been trying to apply it in small ways, giving myself five minutes to choose a restaurant or deciding not to overanalyse every little purchase. Surprisingly, it’s helped a lot.

It’s strange to think that in a world where we have more choices than ever, we might be less happy because of it. But after researching the paradox of choice, I can see why. Please let me know if you guys enjoyed this entry in the comments below, and let me know if there was ever a time you were stuck with too many choices! See you next time :)