Self-generated choice satisfaction

Objective Every day we make a myriad of decisions; what to wear, what to eat, whether to take the bus or the bike to work. These everyday decisions are often open-ended and require individuals to generate options to select their final choice, rather than choose from a predefined list. This study investigates how self-generated set size and self-construal (how one views oneself in relation to others; independent vs. interdependent) influence choice satisfaction. We hypothesized that a larger set size would negatively impact choice satisfaction. We also hypothesized that this relationship would be moderated by self-construal, specifically that individuals with an interdependent self-construal would experience a lower choice satisfaction as set size increases. Methods Ninety-seven participants completed a survey in which they generated options for a group activity and rated their satisfaction with their final choice. Results Results showed a small significant positive relationship...Show moreObjective Every day we make a myriad of decisions; what to wear, what to eat, whether to take the bus or the bike to work. These everyday decisions are often open-ended and require individuals to generate options to select their final choice, rather than choose from a predefined list. This study investigates how self-generated set size and self-construal (how one views oneself in relation to others; independent vs. interdependent) influence choice satisfaction. We hypothesized that a larger set size would negatively impact choice satisfaction. We also hypothesized that this relationship would be moderated by self-construal, specifically that individuals with an interdependent self-construal would experience a lower choice satisfaction as set size increases. Methods Ninety-seven participants completed a survey in which they generated options for a group activity and rated their satisfaction with their final choice. Results Results showed a small significant positive relationship between set size and choice satisfaction, not supporting our hypothesis. Interdependent self-construal was significantly, negatively related to choice satisfaction. This may indicate that unfamiliar preferences of group members could heighten preference uncertainty and indirectly lower choice satisfaction. However, no significant moderation effect was found. Conclusion This study shows that a larger set size correlated with a higher choice satisfaction, while interdependent self-construal correlated with a lower choice satisfaction. No interaction effect was found. These findings suggest set size and self-construal have an independent influence on choice satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.Show less

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Self-generated choice satisfaction