My Blog Of Knowledge: Is Too Much Freedom of Choice a Problem?

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D.on March 30, 2011

Is America’s Freedom of Choice a Problem? A new study suggests a central tenet of American life could be a bad thing for the individual and society.

Social psychology researchers found that just thinking about choices makes people less sympathetic to others and less likely to support policies that help people.

In the U.S., important policy debates are often framed in terms of choice, such as whether people get to choose their own health care plan and a school for their children. Americans tend to assume that what people do and what happens to them is under their control, is a consequence of their choices, and is their own personal responsibility.

“When Hurricane Katrina happened, people asked, why did those people choose to stay?” said Krishna Savani, Ph.D., of Columbia University. But many people didn’t have a choice about whether to escape New Orleans, and no one knew how bad the disaster would be.

“One could say that these individuals made bad choices, but did they really have a choice?” he said.

So the researchers conducted a series of experiments to look at how thinking about choice affected people’s feelings on public policies.

For example, in some experiments, participants watched a video of a person doing a set of routine daily activities in an apartment. Some people were told to push the space bar every time he made a choice; others were told to do so every time he touched an object for the first time. They were then asked their opinions on social issues.

Simply thinking about “choice” made people less likely to support policies promoting greater equality and benefits for society, such as affirmative action, a tax on fuel-inefficient cars, or banning violent video games.

Another experiment found that when people think about choice, they are more likely to blame others for bringing bad events on themselves, like having a heart attack or losing a job.

Savani and his colleagues wondered if this was also true for people outside of the U.S., so they tried an experiment in India.

After choosing among consumer objects like pens and chocolate bars, both American students and Indian students were shown a photograph of a poor child and given a description of his life.

Thinking about choice led Americans to be less empathetic, but had no effect on Indians.

“In America, we make choices all the time—in the cafeteria, in the supermarket, in the shopping mall,” Savani says. He wonders if, in the long run, all those consumer choices might have a cumulative negative impact by making people less sympathetic towards others and less concerned about the collective good.

The study will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science.

Source: Association for Psychological Science

Related News Articles
Being ‘Colorblind’ Hinders Racial EqualityFree-Choice Not Tied to Mental Well-Being Schools Can Help Kids Learn to Argue EffectivelyAre We As Moral As We Think We Are?Partner’s Support May Subvert GoalsStudy Looks at When to Hold ‘Em, When to Fold ‘EmDiversity May Foster Helpfulness in Daily LifeGender Stereotypes Impact Financial DecisionsOxytocin Helps Socially Challenged Extreme Acts Arise from Extreme Patriotism

Advocacy and Policy, General, Health-related, LifeHelper, Mental Health and Wellness, Politics, Professional, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Research, Work and Career -->

NewsAddictionADHDAdvocacy and PolicyAggression and ViolenceAgingAgoraphobiaAlcoholismAlzheimer'sAnorexiaAnxietyAutismBipolarBlogrollBrain and BehaviorBulimiaChildren and TeensDepressionDissociationDomestic ViolenceEating DisordersFDA AlertFeaturedGeneralGeneticsHealth-relatedLifeHelperMedicationsMemory and PerceptionMental Health and WellnessNeuropsychology and NeurologyOCDpainPanic DisorderParentingParkinson'sPersonalityPhobiasPoliticsProfessionalPsoriasisPsychologyPsychotherapyPTSDRelationships and SexualityResearchSchizophreniaSleepSocial PhobiaStressStudentsSubstance AbuseSuicideTechnologyWork and Career

ArchivesMarch 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010May 2010April 2010200820072006Older News Stumble This Article Print Email From Our News BureauBody Image Often Based on Others' Opinion Early Parkinson's Symptoms May Occur In Sleep
Just Published...7 Ways To Make Interfaith Relationships WorkGrowing Up BipolarParents Important in the Prevention, Awareness of Eating Disorders...
What's HotSo Many Ways to Know ThyselfadvertisementMost Popular NewsBody Image Often Based on Others' Opinion Social Rejection Hurts Like Physical Pain Early Parkinson's Symptoms May Occur In Sleep Aging Gays, Lesbians May Face Chronic Illness Alone Adolescent Brain Development Tied to Resisting Peer Pressure Genetic Link to Suicide Attempts Beware the Rush from All-Nighters Pfizer Issues Voluntary Recall of Citalopram and Finasteride Kids' Psychological Problems Have Lasting Impact on Social, Economic Potential Most Popular Blog PostsGrowing Up Bipolar Antioxidants and Your Health How to Spot a Narcissist All You Need Is Love (and Compassion) Pediatrics Gets it Wrong about 'Facebook Depression' Surprising Findings on What Makes a Happy, Stable Marriage Introducing Partners in Wellness 12 Most Annoying Bad Habits of Therapists When Should I Come Off My Antidepressant? 6 Things to Consider 10 Types of Female Friends Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

advertisement
Find a Therapist

Users Online: 3461
Join Us Now!
Local GuidesAll Guides
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
DC
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

#footer { height:220px; } #foot-mid { margin:0 0 0 40px; } Home • About Us • Advertise with Us • Contact Us
Privacy Policy • Terms of Use • Site Map • Disclaimer/Disclosure • Feeds