J Pers Soc Psychol December 2000 PMID 11138768

When choice is demotivating: can one desire too much of a good thing?

S S Iyengar, M R Lepper

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Mentions

73
Peak: 6 in Feb 2025
across 4 sources since Jan 2019

Extended reach

285,078
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7,018

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72,912

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Jan 2019 – Dec 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter34 posts
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AI synopsis

What people are saying

Discussions frequently reference empirical studies such as the classic jam experiment, emphasizing how limited options can lead to higher satisfaction and decision ease. The tone varies from analytical to reflective, with many posters quoting research and expressing agreement, which underscores the recognition of the article's importance and relevance to everyday choices and social systems.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most comments acknowledge and support the article's core argument, with posters referencing established research like Iyengar & Lepper (2000) and affirming the paradox of choice problem.

InterestHigh interest

Posters demonstrate a high level of curiosity, sharing multiple references and studies, and discussing implications, indicating they find the topic relevant and engaging.

EngagementModerate engagement

Some posts delve into specific experiments, like the famous jam study, and discuss nuances such as social overload and complexity, showing deep processing and sustained engagement.

ImpactHigh impact

Several discussions highlight the significance of the research, mentioning its influence on understanding consumer behavior and decision-making, and contemplating broader societal implications.

Abstract in brief

  • Traditional psychological research suggests that having more personal choices leads to greater motivation and happiness, supporting the idea that the human desire for choice is unlimited.
  • However, three experimental studies challenge this view by showing that people often prefer and are more satisfied with a smaller set of options (around 6) compared to larger sets (24 or 30), and they perform better when choosing from fewer options.
  • These findings imply that too many choices can be demotivating or overwhelming, leading to less satisfaction and poorer performance, which calls for a reevaluation of the assumption that more options are always better.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Sheena S. Iyengar
@Sheena_Iyengar · X

I am thrilled to share some wonderful news: I have been selected for the 2024 SESP Scientific Impact Award for my 2000 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology paper, “When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?”. I am deeply humbled. Thank you.

Jun 15, 2024 · 80 likes · 4 shares · 13,490 followers View post →
hideyuki takahashi
@hideman2009 · X

選択肢が多すぎると人は己の選択に満足できないという行動経済学(?)の有名な論文,みてみると実験設定がめっちゃ凝っていておもろい!!

Feb 11, 2025 · 32 likes · 3 shares · 6,568 followers View post →
El Gato y La Caja
@ElGatoyLaCaja · X

Fuentes: "When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?" Iyengar, S. & Lepper, M. (2000) "Great Expectations?! Assortment Size, Expectations and Satisfaction" Diehl, K. & Poynor, C. (2018)

Oct 18, 2022 · 15 likes · 122,563 followers View post →
Nitin Seam
@NitinSeam · X

Enjoyed giving @WRBethesda @USUhealthsci Grand Rounds-Consuming medical information in social media era Article links: When Choice Demotivating: https://t.co/ctIIzJP77w Assoc. article views&citations: https://t.co/4hluIwzNHc Trainees Social Media..: https://t.co/XekKFcpu3W #MedEd https://t.co/VyZS45aGDS

Dec 18, 2021 · 11 likes · 1 share · 2,019 followers View post →
Psy Red
@psyredterapia · X

Fuente : https://t.co/DvOZ53nnCr

Mar 9, 2025 · 4 likes · 3,758 followers View post →
Phaethon
@9haethon · X

@RokoMijic i disagree. it's the paradox of choice problem https://t.co/f8wbaEdQEK https://t.co/af8KPYInMH https://t.co/LdXE9rQqBn https://t.co/MBjSk7fNkx

Jul 7, 2025 · 4 likes · 1,246 followers View post →

All mentions

The Impact of Choice on Motivation and Satisfaction

Having more choices can increase independence, but beyond a certain point, it becomes counterproductive. Scientific studies show that too many options can demotivate and reduce satisfaction. This episode explores how to…

Se-realiser · Jul 12, 2020 1,301 views
Phaethon
@9haethon · X

@RokoMijic i disagree. it's the paradox of choice problem https://t.co/f8wbaEdQEK https://t.co/af8KPYInMH https://t.co/LdXE9rQqBn https://t.co/MBjSk7fNkx

Jul 7, 2025 · 4 likes · 1,246 followers View post →
ふくお先生@行動する脳科学
@Dr_Fukuo · X

参考: Iyengar & Lepper (2000) → 「選択肢が多いと人は行動できなくなる」研究 https://t.co/DIPTEmryJv

May 1, 2025 · 1 like · 1,483 followers View post →
رواد التيسير
@tayseerpioneers · X

https://t.co/Hz7t5xEJfv https://t.co/CVlZBDWRJc https://t.co/PLRPqtUBFb https://t.co/BfVAxbHKbB https://t.co/wVTy3hpKx8

Apr 13, 2025 · 15 followers View post →
doubleuéŕ
@doubleueiar · X

Oiya utk referensi, saya mengambil dari bbrpa referensi di bawah: Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (2000). When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing?

Mar 14, 2025 · 124 followers View post →
Psy Red
@psyredterapia · X

Fuente : https://t.co/DvOZ53nnCr

Mar 9, 2025 · 4 likes · 3,758 followers View post →
Psy Red
@psyredterapia · X

Source : https://t.co/DvOZ53nnCr

Mar 5, 2025 · 3,758 followers View post →
ı̣ʞɐnɹɐN a.k.a 行為無価値二元論
@Zi_ortygia · X

RT @hideman2009: 選択肢が多すぎると人は己の選択に満足できないという行動経済学(?)の有名な論文,みてみると実験設定がめっちゃ凝っていておもろい!!

Feb 16, 2025 · 3 shares · 1,011 followers View post →
よねだ
@1121411mH · X

RT @hideman2009: 選択肢が多すぎると人は己の選択に満足できないという行動経済学(?)の有名な論文,みてみると実験設定がめっちゃ凝っていておもろい!!

Feb 12, 2025 · 3 shares · 152 followers View post →
石部統久
@mototchen · X

RT @hideman2009: 選択肢が多すぎると人は己の選択に満足できないという行動経済学(?)の有名な論文,みてみると実験設定がめっちゃ凝っていておもろい!!

Feb 12, 2025 · 3 shares · 1,072 followers View post →
hideyuki takahashi
@hideman2009 · X

選択肢が多すぎると人は己の選択に満足できないという行動経済学(?)の有名な論文,みてみると実験設定がめっちゃ凝っていておもろい!!

Feb 11, 2025 · 32 likes · 3 shares · 6,568 followers View post →
Aditya Sahani
@adi__twts · X

@protosphinx The more choices we have the more dissatisfied we are, for anyone who wants to dig deeper. This study is helpful -> When choice is demotivating: can one desire too much of a good thing? - PubMed https://t.co/yVHtigcCmJ

Jan 13, 2025 · 3 likes · 24 followers View post →
Timothy Cook
@kcdvdhtmt · X

https://t.co/vAdOjQyucW

Nov 9, 2024 · 1,159 followers View post →
Jamie Smith
@CloudBusiness9 · X

Even back in 2000 Iyengar & Lepper revealed in "When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?" that people faced with a choice of 24 choices would buy more when faced with 6 choices. On average a UK university offers 500 course choices. Time for a rethink? https://t.co/ejyX34fwqm

Oct 19, 2024 · 5,071 followers View post →
sandeater
@sand_eater69 · X

@MustStopMurad When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing? SS Iyengar, MR Lepper Exhaustion is inevitable

Aug 9, 2024 · 1 like · 63 followers View post →
Erin Westgate
@ErinWestgate · X

RT @Sheena_Iyengar: I am thrilled to share some wonderful news: I have been selected for the 2024 SESP Scientific Impact Award for my 2000…

Jun 15, 2024 · 4 shares · 11,506 followers View post →
Juan Del Toro, Ph.D.
@DrJuanDelToro · X

RT @Sheena_Iyengar: I am thrilled to share some wonderful news: I have been selected for the 2024 SESP Scientific Impact Award for my 2000…

Jun 15, 2024 · 4 shares · 4,147 followers View post →
Murali Padmanabhan
@Murali50141937 · X

RT @Sheena_Iyengar: I am thrilled to share some wonderful news: I have been selected for the 2024 SESP Scientific Impact Award for my 2000…

Jun 15, 2024 · 4 shares · 132 followers View post →
Sheena S. Iyengar
@Sheena_Iyengar · X

I am thrilled to share some wonderful news: I have been selected for the 2024 SESP Scientific Impact Award for my 2000 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology paper, “When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?”. I am deeply humbled. Thank you.

Jun 15, 2024 · 80 likes · 4 shares · 13,490 followers View post →
El Gato y La Caja
@ElGatoyLaCaja · X

Fuentes: "When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?" Iyengar, S. & Lepper, M. (2000) "Great Expectations?! Assortment Size, Expectations and Satisfaction" Diehl, K. & Poynor, C. (2018)

Oct 18, 2022 · 15 likes · 122,563 followers View post →
Jimmy
@jimmy9v · X

@MartinTrombetta https://t.co/IZbgYBPCVb

Aug 30, 2022 · 1 like · 124 followers View post →
AK
@1qaz5tgb3edc · X

Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (2000). When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(6), 995–1006. #心理学 #意思決定 #選択疲れ https://t.co/LQ8mrsqE6a

Apr 28, 2022 · 5,844 followers View post →
AK
@1qaz5tgb3edc · X

Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (2000). When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing?. Journal of personality and social psychology, 79(6), 995. https://t.co/FSNjSddHeV

Feb 9, 2022 · 5,844 followers View post →
Richard O'Beirne
@robeirne · X

The Stanford Jam Experiment (2000) "These experiments ... show that people are more likely to purchase gourmet jams ... when offered a limited array of 6 choices rather than a more extensive array of 24 or 30 choices." DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.79.6.995 https://t.co/rSTsG8qrIV

Jan 24, 2022 · 871 followers View post →
Kevin K. Chung, MD
@chungk1031 · X

RT @NitinSeam: Enjoyed giving @WRBethesda @USUhealthsci Grand Rounds-Consuming medical information in social media era Article links: When…

Dec 18, 2021 · 1 share · 14,103 followers View post →
Nitin Seam
@NitinSeam · X

Enjoyed giving @WRBethesda @USUhealthsci Grand Rounds-Consuming medical information in social media era Article links: When Choice Demotivating: https://t.co/ctIIzJP77w Assoc. article views&citations: https://t.co/4hluIwzNHc Trainees Social Media..: https://t.co/XekKFcpu3W #MedEd https://t.co/VyZS45aGDS

Dec 18, 2021 · 11 likes · 1 share · 2,019 followers View post →
Andrea Zazzarelli
@macrowagon · X

@t0nyyates The jam study is quite famous for empirically showing the cost of the paradox of choice: https://t.co/hV3MnsiRqp

Nov 13, 2021 · 1 like · 34 followers View post →
מדע פאקר
@NeatWitTweet · X

@AnerOtto סוף כל סוף עסקים שמתעדכנים בספרות המקצועית ויודעים שהמאמר הידוע לשמצה של ינגאר ולפר לא משתחזר https://t.co/yoKDFJlBct

Sep 3, 2021 · 2,671 followers View post →
happygummybear
@ruoxuanyuan · X

When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing?

Jun 8, 2021 · 44 followers View post →
Heritiana Ranaivoson (he/him)
@hranaivoson · X

An illustration of the old rule : too much choice does not lead to more diversity in actual choices https://t.co/3nI6giMItG https://t.co/01X9zhRInj

Oct 10, 2020 · 4 likes · 338 followers View post →
Ed
@eddytilmant · X

RT @Wepika: When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing ? https://t.co/pPtiGWDAgQ https://t.co/kSvtImCAFt

Apr 27, 2020 · 1 share · 730 followers View post →
Wepika
@Wepika · X

When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing ? https://t.co/pPtiGWDAgQ https://t.co/kSvtImCAFt

Apr 27, 2020 · 1 share · 576 followers View post →
猫になりたい薬剤師
@Vannyamoto · X

When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing? - PsycNET ビジネスの場でよく聞く ジャム理論 https://t.co/gupT0UtSov

Mar 25, 2020 · 1,042 followers View post →
ManjChana
@manjchana_ · X

When Choice is Demotivating: Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing? https://t.co/Qnt2LA3v9u

Jan 24, 2020 · 38 followers View post →
Stephan
@Sevens_2 · X

@drboothroyd @Anthrofuentes @CathrynTownsend And we continue to make them more complex, or to abandon them for more "enlightened" modes. This isn't just a Gigerenzer/Kahnemann type of problem. We don't just have choice overload, we have rules overload and keep piling on. We have social traffic jam. (https://t.co/m4NKQvDMjb)

Jan 30, 2019 · 486 followers View post →