People are more likely to feel satisfied if they can choose an option from several categories. For example, imagine a scenario where a person needs to select a magazine. If, say, 50 magazines are broken into many categories (e.g. Fishing, Fashion, Health, Finance, etc.), people feel satisfied after making a selection. However, if those same 50 magazines are broken into just two categories (e.g. Men’s Magazines, Women’s Magazines), people don’t feel as satisfied or motivated to make that choice.
Researchers suggest that breaking up the same information into multiple categories creates perception of greater choice and freedom. This finding has particular relevance for compliance in organisations. Individuals, for example, are more likely to comply with procedures and processes where they can select from several rather than a few options.
