WHAT IS DECISION PARALYSIS AND HOW DO I DEAL WITH IT?
BBC Science Focus|December 2023
If you've ever gone online to order something during a work break - let's say a new electric toothbrush - expecting it to be fairly straightforward, but instead you found yourself overwhelmed by the huge number of choices and options available, you've experienced decision paralysis.
WHAT IS DECISION PARALYSIS AND HOW DO I DEAL WITH IT?

You're stunned that there are so many factors to consider; not only the basics, such as price and delivery time, but there are many other factors like battery duration, warning lights for excessive pressure and even fancy apps. The clock is ticking on your break and it's impossible to make a decision.

This is just one example of decision paralysis when the sheer number of options and the difficulty of weighing them all up - leads you to freeze. It used to be thought that increased choice could only be a good thing for consumers and they would welcome it, but actually it can backfire and prompt people to walk away.

This story is from the December 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.

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This story is from the December 2023 edition of BBC Science Focus.

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