Decisions and revisions: the affective forecasting of changeable outcomes.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Level 2 by design analogy (experimental behavioral study with comparison conditions).
What was done
Across multiple sub-studies (Study 1, Study 2a, Study 2b), investigators evaluated how decision reversibility affects predicted and experienced satisfaction. In Study 1, photography students selected prints under changeable or unchangeable conditions and reported their predicted and actual liking. Study 2a assessed postdecisional psychological processes under reversible conditions, and Study 2b measured participants' preferences for having the option to revise their decisions.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, sample sizes, or test statistics. Directionally, participants predicted that the opportunity to change choices would not influence liking, but those with changeable decisions liked their prints less than those with final decisions (Study 1). Decision reversibility impaired postdecisional processes that normally promote satisfaction (Study 2a), yet most participants preferred having the revision option (Study 2b).
Why it matters
This paper demonstrates an affective forecasting error where people actively seek decision flexibility even though unchangeable choices lead to greater subjective satisfaction.
Limits
The abstract omits sample sizes, participant demographics, and all quantitative metrics (effect sizes, p-values). The experimental task was limited to selecting photographic prints in a student cohort, which may not generalize to high-stakes life decisions.
Cited by
- supports Studies testing choice irreversibility demonstrate that people who are not allowed to exchange a chosen item end up happier with it than those given an exchange option.