Your text reports a study by Shafir, Simon, and Tversky (1993) in which participants were asked to consider either Scenario A, involving an attractive offer on a Sony product, or Scenario B, describing attractive offers on both a Sony and an Aiwa product. In each case, participants were asked if they would purchase a product or wait until they learned more about other models. In which condition were participants more likely to say they would wait rather than purchase a product, and why?
A) Scenario A participants were more likely to wait. They would prefer more options before making a purchase.
B) Scenario B participants were more likely to wait. Having even two options to consider makes decision making more difficult because of the demands on working memory.
C) Scenario B participants were more likely to wait. Participants found it difficult to justify choosing one attractive option over another attractive option.
D) Scenario A participants were more likely to wait. Utility theory suggests that optimal decision making requires more than a single option.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Scenario B participants were more likely to wait because when faced with two attractive options, making a choice becomes harder as it is difficult to justify choosing one over the other. This phenomenon is related to the paradox of choice, where having more options can lead to decision paralysis.

Your Text Reports a Study by Shafir, Simon, and Tversky