We have a deep-seated need to control our situations
Feeling power and choice over our future gives us certainty, motivation and lower stress. Autonomy is vital for successful behavior change.
Botti & McGill (2011). The locus of choice: Personal causality and satisfaction with hedonic and utilitarian decisions. Journal of Consumer Research.
The study
88 students were told about an exercise training camp and split into 2 groups: either having a choice about the four fitness programs on offer or having one randomly assigned. They were then asked to rate their anticipated satisfaction of the program out of 9.
Those given some autonomy reported higher levels of anticipated satisfaction than those who weren’t.
Botti & McGill (2011). The locus of choice: Personal causality and satisfaction with hedonic and utilitarian decisions. Journal of Consumer Research.
Key Takeaways
Choice = autonomy = certainty. For instance, giving people a choice to still use the old version of your software platform for a given timeframe will reduce anxiety and uncertainty.
Product type matters. People desire autonomy for pleasure purchases (i.e. vacations) more than for practical ones (i.e. business trips). Place more focus on the former in order to maximise feelings of control and consumer satisfaction (Botti & McGill, 2011).
Change behavior with the ‘4As’. Feeling that any change originated from within is vital. Ask about the behavior, advise them impartially of the facts and of better routes, but that they must make their own choice. If keen to change, assist them to make a commitment to do so by a given date, and arrange a follow-up to support this behavior change.
In further detail
We have a deep-seated need to control our situations
Feeling power and choice over our future gives us certainty, motivation and lower stress. Autonomy is vital for successful behavior change.
Botti & McGill (2011). The locus of choice: Personal causality and satisfaction with hedonic and utilitarian decisions. Journal of Consumer Research.
The study
88 students were told about an exercise training camp and split into 2 groups: either having a choice about the four fitness programs on offer or having one randomly assigned. They were then asked to rate their anticipated satisfaction of the program out of 9.
Those given some autonomy reported higher levels of anticipated satisfaction than those who weren’t.
Botti & McGill (2011). The locus of choice: Personal causality and satisfaction with hedonic and utilitarian decisions. Journal of Consumer Research.
Key Takeaways
Choice = autonomy = certainty. For instance, giving people a choice to still use the old version of your software platform for a given timeframe will reduce anxiety and uncertainty.
Product type matters. People desire autonomy for pleasure purchases (i.e. vacations) more than for practical ones (i.e. business trips). Place more focus on the former in order to maximise feelings of control and consumer satisfaction (Botti & McGill, 2011).
Change behavior with the ‘4As’. Feeling that any change originated from within is vital. Ask about the behavior, advise them impartially of the facts and of better routes, but that they must make their own choice. If keen to change, assist them to make a commitment to do so by a given date, and arrange a follow-up to support this behavior change.
We have a deep-seated need to control our situations
The study
88 students were told about an exercise training camp and split into 2 groups: either having a choice about the four fitness programs on offer or having one randomly assigned. They were then asked to rate their anticipated satisfaction of the program out of 9.
Those given some autonomy reported higher levels of anticipated satisfaction than those who weren’t.
In detail
Scarcity
We value things more when they’re in limited supply
Social Proof
We copy the behaviors of others, especially in unfamiliar situations
Prospect Theory
A loss hurts more than an equal gain feels good
Reciprocity
We’re hardwired to return kindness received
Framing
We make very different decisions based on how a fact is presented
Loss Aversion
We feel more negative when losing something than positive when we gain it
Default Effect
We tend to accept the option pre-chosen for us
Anchoring
What we see first affects our judgement of everything thereafter
Fast & Slow Thinking
We make knee-jerk spontaneous decisions that can cause regretful damage
Dynamic Norms
We’re more likely to change if we can see a new behavior developing
Salience
Our choices are determined by the information we're shown