Perceived control and the pleasantness of choosing: How much choice is too much choice?

Abstract

We can choose between various options in a multitude of situations every day. General consensus states that the ability to choose between different alternatives enhances our sense of agency, i.e., our perceived control and perceived causality over our environment. As sense of agency is thought to be a rewarding experience, abundant choice options might be preferable to fewer choice options. However, too much choice could also lead to increased cognitive effort and an overburdening of individuals, e.g., when engaging in consumer behaviour. The present experiments elucidate the interplay of sense of agency, pleasantness of choice, and perceived effort dependent on the available number of choice options. Results indicate that, surprisingly, sense of agency and pleasantness of choice peak around four choice options, with further choice options decreasing pleasantness and increasing perceived effort of the selection process. Moreover, perceived control and pleasantness of choice were strongly associated, further supporting the notion of sense of agency as a rewarding experience.