Choice Architecture
How options are arranged — order, defaults, grouping — changes what people choose; nudges work, but after correcting for publication bias the average effect is small and defaults do most of the work.
An everyday example
A cafeteria that puts fruit at eye level; a checkout that puts the expensive shipping first.
What it can cost you
Being steered by arrangement while feeling free; over-estimating nudges when you design them.
Warning signs
- I chose the first one.
- The arrangement did the deciding.
One thing to do
Re-order the options yourself before choosing; when designing, rely on defaults and honest simplification, not clever tricks.
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