Book details

Other books

Other people who viewed this bought | Other books in this series
Showing items 1 to 10 of 10

 

Full description | Reviews | Bibliographic data

  • Full bibliographic data for The Paradox of Choice

    Title
    The Paradox of Choice
    Subtitle
    Why More is Less
    Authors and contributors
    By (author) Barry Schwartz
    Physical properties
    Format: Paperback
    Number of pages: 284
    Width: 134 mm
    Height: 203 mm
    Thickness: 19 mm
    Weight: 255 g
    Audience
    General/trade
    College/higher education
    Language
    English
    ISBN
    ISBN 13: 9780060005696
    ISBN 10: 0060005696
    Classifications
    BISAC category code: SOC002010
    Dewey: 153.83
    Nielsen BookScan Product Class: T17.9
    BIC subject category: VSP
    BISAC category code: SEL000000
    BISAC category code: BUS019000
    BISAC category code: PSY031000
    LC classification: HM
    BISAC category code: SOC022000
    Edition
    New edition
    Edition statement
    New edition
    Publisher
    HarperCollins Publishers Inc
    Imprint name
    HarperCollins
    Publication date
    01 February 2005
    Publication City/Country
    New York, NY/US
    Main description
    In the spirit of Alvin Toffler?s Future Shock, a social critique of our obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret. This paperback includes a new P.S. section with author interviews, insights, features, suggested readings, and more. Whether we?re buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions--both big and small--have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented.We assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice--the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish--becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice--from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs--has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse.By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counterintuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on the important ones and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.
    Review quote
    "Schwartz lays out a convincing argument.... [He] is a crisp, engaging writer with an excellent sense of pace."--Austin American-Statesman