Choice Overload: in theory, in the lab and in the field

Professor Chris Starmer will be convening a symposium at the Subjective Probability Utility Decision Making (SPUDM) Conference 2021 on the topic of Choice Overload: in theory, in the lab and in the field.  Presenters include Chris Starmer (Nottingham), Stefania Sitzia & Bob Sugden (UEA), and Olivia Natan (Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley) with discussant, Barry Schwartz (Swarthmore College)

Chris says, "We present a symposium on choice overload - the notion that consumers may be made worse off when their choice set expands. Despite substantial existing literature on the topic, the claim that choice overload is a significant problem for consumers remains contentious. This is partly because replication studies and meta-analyses have cast doubt on some of the original evidence of choice overload, or the extent to which it generalizes. Moreover, the idea of choice overload is difficult to reconcile with some theoretical perspectives and with casual observation of contemporary consumer markets where retailers offering lots of choice (e.g. Amazon) appear highly successful. The symposium will feature three presentations from new research combining theory with evidence from the lab and field. The session will also feature a discussion led by Barry Schwartz".

SPUDM is being hosted by Warwick Business School from Sunday 22 to Tuesday 24 Augusts. It's not too late to register - visit the WBS website for more details.