Concept · Cognitive Bias: Economic and consumer biases
Choice overload (paradox of choice)
Origin: Iyengar & Lepper, 2000; Schwartz, 2004 *(replication concerns noted)*
Biological Parallel
Bumblebees visiting meadows with 50+ flower species show decreased foraging efficiency compared to those in 5-10 species meadows—more time hovering, more sampling errors, lower pollen loads. Cognitive systems evolved for limited choice sets; excessive options overwhelm comparison algorithms. Choice overload reflects this: our decision architecture was built for ancestral environments with dozens of potential mates, not thousands on dating apps. Past a threshold, more options degrade rather than improve outcomes.