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ORIGINAL: seekingreality
You have to careful throwing around these sweeping generalizations like "research, however, has shown ..." The paradox of choice -- the connection between choice and anxiety -- has been studied a lot. Some studies support the idea, others don't. From what I've read, the research overall tilts toward rejecting the theory rather than supporting it. But the research isn't really super clear either way.

Also, you have to understand that the video you're citing is from the guy who made up the theory and has spent the last decade promoting it, so he tends to spin it as an absolute and only mentions the research that supports the theory, and not the research that rejects it.

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ORIGINAL: MalcolmNathaniel

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ORIGINAL: seekingreality
You have to careful throwing around these sweeping generalizations like "research, however, has shown ..." The paradox of choice -- the connection between choice and anxiety -- has been studied a lot. Some studies support the idea, others don't. From what I've read, the research overall tilts toward rejecting the theory rather than supporting it. But the research isn't really super clear either way.

Also, you have to understand that the video you're citing is from the guy who made up the theory and has spent the last decade promoting it, so he tends to spin it as an absolute and only mentions the research that supports the theory, and not the research that rejects it.

You are quite correct about throwing terms about like that. I have read similar research on other sites that agree with it, but honestly, I can't remember what the articles were. For all I know it's the same researcher being recorded in different locations.

Short of doing the experiments myself I cannot verify that it's true. My swiss-cheese memory only allows me to remember the most important factors from these different articles. I tend to think that TED talks are generally done by very informed people, but that may not always be true and some of them may be using 'Appeal to Authority" because they are TED speakers to prove their points. The speaker in the video I mentioned threw off some comment about this is why we should use economic redistribution near the end of his presentation ( a proven bad-wrong idea) but I thought that was a personal observation.

Like I said: I have read other things that agree with this, but they were very far apart and I can't remember who did them. I can find out if you are interested. I know where I was linked to those studies from and that site has an almost OCD record keeper. Being able to talk about this with someone who doesn't accept it on face value and is interested in evaluated the issue based on science was more than I hoped for.

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ORIGINAL: seekingreality
I do agree that having too many choices can cause stress. But having too few choices can cause stress too. The whole theory is a bit too simplistic for my taste. I also think it's too simplistic a lens to evaluate BDSM relationships through.

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ORIGINAL: JeffBC

quote:

ORIGINAL: seekingreality
I do agree that having too many choices can cause stress. But having too few choices can cause stress too. The whole theory is a bit too simplistic for my taste. I also think it's too simplistic a lens to evaluate BDSM relationships through.

and looking at Carol clearly demonstrates that. In her case her chosen relationship with not just me but the rest of humanity has nothing to do with an inability to make choices. It has everything to do with a priority tree that is different than mine. For instance, she values "not making waves" much more highly than I do. In the area of decision making, the only place she struggles is when the decision involves weighing her desires against someone else's. So what I'm looking at, in total, is exactly as you said -- too complex to be viewed through the simple lens of "too many/too few" choices.

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What I meant to ask was, "Does the freedom from making decisions plat a part in your desire for submission."

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ORIGINAL: MalcolmNathaniel

What I meant to ask was, "Does the freedom from making decisions plat a part in your desire for submission."

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ORIGINAL: Byste

I experienced this this weekend. I went into a pharmacy to buy a face and under eye cream. I knew exactly what I wanted the creams to do and the price had to be reasonable. There were creams that would do what I wanted but at a high price and there were creams that would do almost what I wanted at a cheaper price. There were well-known names and not so well known names. There were different quantities...some not enough for the price, some too much for a first time try out. I would have needed an Excel spreadsheet to make a decision. I remember thinking "I just want a face cream and an eye cream! Why is this so complicated?" Fortunately, I had watched the video in the OP so I could say to myself "Ah ha! This is the Paradox of Choice!"

It didn't help.

Byste