14 DAY TRIAL // For the average American, freedom of choice is one of the most fundamental rights. But a group of scientists has determined that having this ability may in fact be a very bad thing for individuals and societies alike, due to the type of behavior it promotes in people.
The new study, conducted by social psychologists, shows that when people begin to think about choice, they almost instantly become less likely to support policies or measures that would help others. They also become less sympathetic to the needs and troubles of other individuals.
In the United States, citizens are used to the idea that their choices influence their lives. Even political debates are presented in this light – you get to choose which health package to get, or what school to send children to. For many, it's unconceivable for society to be organized any other way.
But this type of thinking is responsible for beliefs in areas that were supposed to make us humans, such as feeling sympathy for others who are in need. This was observed most pregnantly during Hurricane Katrina and immediately afterwards, in 2005.
“When Hurricane Katrina happened, people asked, 'why did those people choose to stay'?” explains Columbia University expert Krishna Savani, PhD. This is a very limited question to ask, and demonstrates the narrow horizons of those who pose it, experts agree.
“One could say that these individuals made bad choices, but did they really have a choice?” asks Savani. Was there really any way for them to know that Katrina would be so devastating, and not just another common hurricane?
In the new experiments the expert and his team conducted, things were set up so that researchers could make out people’s feelings on public policies based on participants' thoughts about choice.
In one instance, a group of test subjects was asked to watch a video of a person engaged in daily activities, and then to press the space bar every time that person made a choice. Another group watched the same video, but was asked to press the key when the person touched something for the first time.
The participants were then questioned about social issues. Those who were conditioned to think about choices were less likely to support bills that for example called for equality of benefits in society.
They were also unlikely to support the banning of fuel-inefficient cars, or of violent video games, or any other type of affirmative action for that matter, PsychCentral reports.
“In America, we make choices all the time – in the cafeteria, in the supermarket, in the shopping mall,” Savani explains. Over the years, this could contribute to making people less sympathetic to others' needs. Individuals may also come to care less about the collective good.
Details of the work will appear in an upcoming issue of the esteemed journal Psychological Science.