Alternatives We Didn’t Choose
Psych 🧠 - 321/500
Reader,
This paper explores how thinking about the alternatives we didn't choose (foregone alternatives) impacts our motivation to pursue our goals.
What is it?
This research specifically focuses on goal-inconsistent foregone alternatives, or temptations, and examines how the diversity of these temptations affects our perception of past choices and future actions.
It reveals a subtle but powerful effect of considering foregone alternatives on our goals & motivation.
Recognizing how diversity of temptations influences our perceptions and choices, we can develop more effective strategies for achieving goals & making better decisions.
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What do I need to know:
Perceived Sacrifice as the Mechanism: Foregoing diverse temptations feels like giving up more, leading to a greater sense of sacrifice. This, in turn, boosts the perceived impact of prior goal-consistent choices, increasing motivation for future goal-consistent actions.
Same Goal Domain is Crucial: The effect is strongest when the subsequent decision is related to the same goal as the prior choice, highlighting the role of subjective goal impact.
Sequential Decision-Making Illusion: Foregoing diverse temptations creates the feeling of having made multiple goal-consistent decisions, amplifying the perceived sacrifice and motivation.
Key takeaways:
What we don't choose matters: Our perception of past alternatives can influence our motivation for goal pursuit, even if we've already made a goal-consistent choice.
Framing matters: Presenting foregone alternatives as a sequence of individual choices can enhance motivation.
Objective feedback reduces reliance on feelings: When concrete progress markers are present, the influence of perceived sacrifice diminishes.
Source:
https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcpy.1412?campaign=wolearlyview