The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less

by Barry Schwartz

Only a decade ago, doctors made the decisions; patients did what they were told. Doctors did not consult patients about their desires and priorities, and routinely withheld information—sometimes crucial information, such as what drugs they were on, what treatments they were being given, and what their diagnosis was. Patients were even forbidden to look at their own medical records; it wasn’t their property, doctors said. They were regarded as children: too fragile and simpleminded to handle the truth, let alone make decisions. And they suffered for it. They suffered because some doctors were arrogant and/or careless. Also, they suffered because sometimes choosing the right course of action was not just a medical decision, but a decision involving other factors in a patient’s life—the patient’s network of family and friends, for example. Under these circumstances, surely the patient should be the one making the decision.