{"id":76128,"date":"2022-08-17T11:06:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T15:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=76128"},"modified":"2022-08-22T16:03:07","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T20:03:07","slug":"status-quo-bias-in-decision-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/status-quo-bias-in-decision-making\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Overcome the Status Quo Bias in Decision-Making"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why are people inclined to make decisions that perpetuate their status quo? What are some ways to mitigate the status quo bias<\/a> in decision-making<\/a>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it\u2019s time to finally make a choice, our bias toward the status quo kicks in and weakens our judgment. According to Chip and Dan Heath, tough decisions elicit intense emotions. These emotions cause us to seek relief in what\u2019s familiar. Thus, we make decisions that resist change<\/a>, even if change is what we need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how to push against the status quo bias in decision-making<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Overcoming Status Quo Bias<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tough decisions heighten our emotions, which compels us to avoid change. Our bias towards the status quo tempts us to choose whichever option minimizes loss and change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To overcome status quo bias in decision-making, the authors argue that we shouldn\u2019t disregard the current emotions that drive us to seek comfort in the status quo. Instead, we should put those emotions into perspective by looking outside ourselves and beyond the present. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mindfulness<\/a> for Managing Emotions<\/a><\/strong>

Research in psychology supports the authors\u2019 claim that we shouldn\u2019t disregard our emotions. In fact, doing so harms both our mental and physical health<\/a>. 
One way to manage, rather than disregard, heightened emotions is to practice a well-known mindfulness technique called RAIN<\/a>: 

R<\/em>ecognize:<\/strong> Acknowledge what you\u2019re feeling by naming your emotions.

A<\/em>llow:<\/strong> Let yourself feel your emotions, and don\u2019t try to change them.

I<\/em>nvestigate:<\/strong> Ask yourself where in your body you feel those emotions and why you might be feeling them.

N<\/em>on-Identification<\/strong>: Remember that your emotions are real, but they don\u2019t define you.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Strategy 1: Imagine What Someone Else Would Do<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One strategy for putting your current emotions into perspective is to imagine the point of view of someone else who\u2019s not experiencing the same strong emotions<\/strong>. The authors claim that this strategy allows you to more rationally and objectively see the decision\u2019s important facets. You might then recognize the value of disrupting the status quo and seeking beneficial change. For any kind of decision, ask yourself, \u201cIf my friend or colleague was in this situation, what decision would they make, and why?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Since the release of Decisive<\/em>, new research has suggested that we\u2019re often wrong when we simply imagine what others think. For example, one study found that we better predict another person\u2019s thoughts when we talk to them versus when we simply imagine what they think.<\/a> However, there may still be benefits to imagining someone else\u2019s perspective as a decision-making exercise, even if what we imagine is different from what they\u2019d actually do. Recent research suggests that when we imagine someone else\u2019s perspective, we improve our ability to generate creative and novel ideas<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategy 2: Look Far Into the Future<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A second way to put your emotions into perspective is to predict how you\u2019ll feel about your decision at various points in the future. The authors state that we make better decisions<\/a> when we give additional weight to our future feelings. <\/strong>When we consider how we\u2019ll feel in the future, we\u2019re more likely to welcome a change in the status quo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One technique the authors recommend is the \u201c10\/10\/10 test,\u201d created by business writer Suzy Welch. First, select one of your options. Then, ask yourself, \u201cIf I chose this option, how would I feel about my decision 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years after I made it?\u201d If you determine that you\u2019d feel positively about that option at all three points in the future, it\u2019s a strong option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it Possible to Accurately Predict Future Feelings?<\/strong>

Experts have differing opinions about how accurately we can predict our future feelings. In Stumbling On Happiness<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>psychologist <\/em>Daniel Gilbert argues that it\u2019s futile to do this because your present emotions determine how you think you\u2019ll feel in the future<\/a>. He\u2019d likely claim that a test like the 10\/10\/10 test will only reflect your current state of mind, rather than tell you something new about your future state of mind.

However, whether or not it\u2019s possible to accurately predict future feelings, Annie Duke, author of Thinking in Bets<\/em><\/a>, argues that imagining the future<\/a> can still positively impact decision-making. She claims that by remembering past decisions and imagining future outcomes, we better manage our emotions and make more rational decisions.<\/a> She calls this strategy \u201cmental time travel<\/a>.\u201d <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Strategy 3: Clarify Your Values<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, it may not help to imagine someone else\u2019s perspective or look far into the future. Even after trying these strategies, the decision may continue to be emotionally fraught. The authors share that when a decision is still emotionally fraught, it\u2019s a sign that it may be a choice between one or more of your<\/strong> values. <\/strong>They claim that <\/strong>the best way to work through a decision that concerns multiple values is to clarify which of those values are most important to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Relationship Between Cultural Values and Decision-Making<\/strong>

When clarifying your values<\/a>, consider how the values that impact your decision may be culturally rooted. Research reveals that our cultural background influences whether we look inward or outward when we make emotionally fraught decisions<\/a>. If your culture values individuality, you may make decisions by looking inward and determining your own wants and needs. By contrast, if your culture values collectivity, you may look outward and make choices based on what others expect of you. 

We can learn from both approaches. When you clarify your values<\/a> for an emotionally-fraught decision, notice if you find yourself looking inward or outward. If this approach isn\u2019t serving you, or if it isn\u2019t helping you to manage your emotions<\/a> and make a decision<\/a>, consider taking the opposite approach.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One value-clarifying technique that the authors recommend is a \u201cstop doing list.\u201d Business consultant Jim Collins created this technique<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n