The impact of individual short-term memory capacity on choice overload effect: Is there stimulus specificity?

Abstract

Too many choices result in choice overload, the effects of which are generally negative. The capacity of short-term memory also impacts the ability and efficiency of people to process multiple options or information, thus affecting the experience of choice. Using three different stimuli for measuring short-term memory capacity and an actual choice task, we provide converging evidence that short-term memory has a moderating effect on the choice overload effect (which is more likely to occur in individuals with poor short-term memory ability), but it is important to note that this moderation is stimulus-specific. That is to say, the choice overload effect of individuals in the picture choosing task is impacted solely by their short-term memory capacity of pictures, and has nothing to do with other stimulus types. It can help consumers and businesses better process the way information is presented to maximize short-term memory and reduce the occurrence of choice overload effect.