Are we as masters of our decisions as we believe? Or, on the contrary, do we let ourselves be carried away on many more occasions than we think by what is already given to us?
Although we are not aware of it, on many occasions our ability to choose is influenced by external agents of which we have no knowledge. This is what happens with the default effect. Throughout this article, let us clarify what this dynamic of thought consists of, as well as what its causes are and how we can take advantage of it for our own benefit.
The default effect or the “default effect” is a theory associated with consumer psychology which establishes that in a situation or context in which we have to make a choice it is much more likely that we will stick with the one that is marked or selected by default.
The reason for this fact is Thinking about which choice to make involves a waste of energy that people tend to avoid, so it is much more likely that we will opt for that choice in which we do not have to do anything. That is, the one that is already marked by default. Hence the name “default”.
As expected, companies and organizations are aware of this fact, so they take advantage of these thinking dynamics to guide our behavior in the way in which they achieve maximum benefits.
An example of this phenomenon
A valid example would be one in which when we register on a website, the “Yes, I want to receive information” box appears checked by default. According to the default effect, the most likely fact is that we unconsciously accept all the terms and conditions that are marked by default. Hence, on numerous occasions we find ourselves receiving advertising from countless companies that we do not remember having visited or accepted.
Compared to other tricks used in consumer psychology to guide our behavior, the default effect is much more imperceptible, but still It is highly effective when it comes to manipulating our behavior.
At first, this type of manipulation may not seem too important, since receiving advertising on time is relatively unintrusive and easy to solve. However, the people in charge of designing this type of questionnaires and processes have greater power than we imagine, since they make a series of decisions for us that we do not even notice.
If we take into account that the vast majority of consumers never change the default configuration of both computers and mobile phones; Just as we don’t stop to carefully read the conditions or little boxes when filling out a series of forms (both online and on paper), we will discover that someone somewhere made these decisions for us.
Beyond marketing
Another example that may impact a little more is that, in countries like Spain, Portugal or Austria, when a person registers to obtain a driving license, the option to become an organ donor appears by default, so if the person He doesn’t care and doesn’t want to be an organ donor, will have volunteered without being aware of it. In this way companies, organizations and governments predetermine our decisions.
Economist Richard Thaler and legal researcher Cass Sunstein wrote in their book about the implications of consumer psychology on human behavior that the list of areas in which we are influenced by the default effect is much broader, ranging from topics mentioned above to the order of items on a menu or the default temperature of workplace thermostats.
Therefore, the default effect is not only associated with consumption, but also with the intention that we continue some steps determined according to the interests of some organizations which, everything must be said, do not always have to be harmful or harmful.
How does it influence us?
Under the influence of the default effect There are a series of psychological procedures that make it possible. These psychological processes help us better understand how it acts on our mind and why it affects us so often.
The origins of the default effect lie in the following causes.
1. Need to follow a recommendation
Our mind assumes the idea that if an option is the one given by default It’s because it’s actually the best. This fact conditions our perception of what we choose.
2. Cognitive effort
As we mentioned before, reflecting on an election involves a cognitive wear that people tend to avoid unconsciously. So normally we tend to leave what is pre-established for us as it is.
3. Change of meaning
It does not imply the same moral weight to leave the option “I do not want to be an organ donor” checked as it does to have to check it ourselves. If the default option is the opposite, removing it will make us experience slight anguish and a feeling of guilt.
4. Exchange cost
When we reject an already made choice in favor of another, we may be risking a series of changes that we do not know about. Therefore, there is a high probability that we will remain in a conservative attitude and let’s leave everything as it is.
5. Loss aversion
The default option tends to be the reference point when comparing other alternatives and will always look more attractive. Therefore changing your mind can be perceived as a loss of something good or positive.
How is this effect applied?
As we have seen throughout the article, there are many areas in which the default effect can be taken advantage of. However, Not all of them have to be virtual or have economic issues as their objective.
A real and very striking example is the following. The administration of a high school in New York was really concerned about the low consumption of healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, in the school cafeteria.
Given this fact, they decided to change the location of the salad buffet, which was on one side against the wall, placing it in the center of the room; with which the students had to pass in front before going to pay for the meal.
Since children no longer had to specifically go to the salad bar to get food, and it was always in sight, the consumption of vegetables increased to the point of tripling.
How to use it for our benefit?
But not everything is unrelated to the default effect. Ourselves we can use it as a tactic to improve our lifestyle habits. If we pre-establish our environment so that it is difficult for us to do those things that are harmful to our health and easy those that benefit us, our behavior will end up being conditioned by this distribution.
For example, if we reorganize the pantry so that the least healthy foods are further from our sight or out of our reach, it is very likely that we will consume them less than if it is the first thing we see.
In the same way, if we place the mobile applications that distract us the most, such as games or social networks, in a remote place or in a separate folder, we will be much less forced to enter them and waste time every time we pick up the phone. mobile.
