The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, Revised Edition – How to Escape Decision Fatigue and Boost Satisfaction with Behavioral Science - Couverture souple

Schwartz, Barry; Cheek, Nathan N.

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0062449923 ISBN 13 : 9780062449924

Editeur : Ecco, 2016

Synopsis

In the spirit of Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock, a social critique of our obsession with choice, decision fatigue and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret. This paperback includes a new preface from the author.

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 401(k), everyday decisions―both big and small―have become increasingly complex due to the phenomenon of choice overload. The cognitive load from this overwhelming abundance of options overwhelms us.

As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: this choice overload 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 make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, a cornerstone of social psychology research, along with anxiety and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice―the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish―becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In a fascinating look at the psychology of choice, Schwartz uses accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose to show how the dramatic explosion in options―from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs―has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.

By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counterintuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to combat this analysis paralysis, limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important (becoming a "satisficer" instead of a "maximizer"), and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.

This groundbreaking book reveals the counterintuitive truth about decision-making and offers a powerful framework to:

• Escape Decision Fatigue: Understand why the constant pressure to choose is exhausting and learn practical strategies to reduce the cognitive load of everyday decisions.
• The Maximizer vs. The Satisficer: Identify your own decision-making style and discover why aiming for "good enough" rather than "the absolute best" leads to greater happiness and less regret.
• Boost Happiness and Well-Being: Learn how eliminating choices can paradoxically reduce anxiety, stress, and even the risk of depression by freeing you from the burden of unrealistically high expectations.
• Master Modern Decision-Making: Apply eleven practical, science-backed steps to limit your options, focus on what truly matters, and derive genuine satisfaction from the choices you make.

A propos du livre

À propos des auteurs

Barry Schwartz is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Swarthmore College and Visiting Professor of Management at Haas School of Business, U.C. Berkeley. He is the author of The Battle for Human Nature, The Costs of Living, Practical Wisdom (with Kenneth Sharpe), Why We Work, and Choose Wisely (with Richard Schuldenfrei). He lives in Oakland, CA.

Nathan Cheek is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he leads the Choice, Inequality, and Policy (CHIP) Lab. He lives in Washington, D.C.

À propos de la quatrième de couverture

“Absorbing, witty, and persuasive.”—BusinessWeek Top 10 Business Books of 2004

“Brilliant. . . . The case Schwartz makes for a correlation between our emotional state and what he calls the ‘tyranny of choice’ is compelling, the implications disturbing. . . . An insightful book.”—Christian Science Monitor

“A revolutionary and beautifully reasoned book about the promiscuous amount of choice that renders the consumer helpless. A must-read.”—Martin Seligman, author of Authentic Happiness

Whether we’re buying a pair of jeans, ordering coffee, selecting a wireless carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex due to the over-whelming abundance of choice. For Americans, choice is the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination. But having too much choice can actually be detrimental: choice overload can make you question your decisions before you make them, set up unrealistically high expectations, and lead to self-blame for any failure. The result is decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress, and even clinical depression.

In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice—from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs—has led us to seek that which makes us feel worse. Synthesizing current research, Schwartz makes the counterintuitive case that reducing choices can greatly reduce stress, anxiety, and the frenzy of daily life, and offers eleven practical steps to help you limit choices to a manageable number, focus on the important ones, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.

 

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Ecco
• Date d'édition: 2016
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0062449923
• ISBN 13: 9780062449924
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 304
• Coordonnées du fabricant: Product Safety Manager; enquiries@harpercollins.ie; ; HarperCollins, Macken House, 39/40 Mayor Street Upper; Dublin 1; D01 C9W8; Irlande