Rational choice theorists, economists, and psychologists have all operated from the quite reasonable assumption that because freedom of choice is essential for well-being, if some choice is good, more choice is better. That assumption seems perfectly logical, but there is growing evidence that psychologically, it is false. This talk will review some of the evidence that choice overload has significant negative psychological consequences, especially for people whose aim in making decisions is to "maximize," to get the best. It will also attempt to explain why choice overload causes decreases in well-being, and it will examine some of the implications of these findings for public policy.

Barry Schwartz received his PhD in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971 and went to teach at Swarthmore College, where he has been ever since. He is currently the Dorwin Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and Social Action in the Psychology Department at Swarthmore. He is the author of several books, including, The Battle for Human Nature (1986), The Costs of Living (1994), and the newly published The Paradox of Choice.