Why we choose the familiar over the better: scientists" answer

Scientists have found that simply repeating a choice changes our preferences: the familiar option begins to seem better than alternatives — even when objectively more advantageous ones exist. The study was published in the journal Communications Psychology.

The research was conducted by a team led by Ben Wagner and Professor Stefan Kiebel from the Technical University of Dresden. The scientists analyzed 15 datasets — nine they collected themselves and six were taken from previous studies — involving more than 700 participants. It turned out that options chosen more frequently were not only preferred by people but were also rated as objectively better.

According to the authors, the brain conserves effort and, instead of weighing the pros and cons anew each time, relies on memories of past experience. A choice already made functions as a convenient "shortcut" that substitutes for logical comparison of options.

This helps explain many seemingly irrational habits — from purchasing the same products to persistent everyday routines that persist even when better options are available. The findings, the researchers note, are important for psychology, behavioral sciences, and the design of environments in which people make choices.