Comments on: Barry Schwartz Meets the Buddha: How Mindfulness may Resolve the “Paradox of Choice”

By: Amanda Simmons

Amanda Simmons — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:16:51 +0000

Hi Jordan,

Thanks for your response. I am particularly interested in the connection between maximizers and higher levels of rumination that have been demonstrated in some of Schwartz’s research. I have also looked at several studies on mindfulness that found negative correlations with rumination. As rumination seems to be such a large piece in the development and maintenance of depression (which has also been correlated with maximizing to some degree)I am inclined to think that some aspect of mindfulness could be helpful in the decision making process associated with maximizing. I am still in the early stages of my dissertation and am just trying to gather more information on what research is out there. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated!

Thanks
Amanda

By: Jordan Silberman

Jordan Silberman — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:43:40 +0000

Hi Amanda,

I don’t know of any research that’s been done on this, but I’d love to see somebody investigate the hypotheses I put forth in this article or similar hypotheses.

Can you say more about what you have in mind?

Jordan

By: Amanda Simmons

Amanda Simmons — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:36:47 +0000

This is an interesting piece and has actually turned into an idea for my dissertation. Does anyone know if any research has already been done or is currently been done in this area?

By: Senia.com Positive Psychology Coaching » The Ctrl-Z Button

Senia.com Positive Psychology Coaching » The Ctrl-Z Button — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:44:02 +0000

[…] On the other hand, there are a ton of great things about restarting. See what Dave Seah highlights about rebooting your day. Restarting is freshness. It’s counteracting what the Made-to-Stick Heath brothers call “The Curse of Knowledge,” knowing so much about your subject that you can’t step away and be objective. Restarting is that “beginner’s mind” that Jordan Silberman writes about here and Miriam Ufberg writes about here. […]

By: Positive Psychology News Daily » Blog Archive » Calendar Cross Reference to March Articles and Authors

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 15:48:48 +0000

[…] Mar 4 Barry Schwartz Meets the Buddha by Jordan Silberman […]

By: Positive Psychology News Daily » Blog Archive » Highlights March 1-17, 2007 on PPND

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:25:29 +0000

[…] Barry Schwartz Meets the Buddha: How Mindfulness may Resolve the “Paradox of Choice” by Jordan Silberman (3-4-07): Silberman suggests a new technique for battling the “too much choice” syndrome. He suggests mindfulness in the moment and describes, “Attending only to the present environment and the present moment may prevent people from ruminating about desirable attributes of the options they didn’t choose. Anticipated regret may be avoided for obvious reasons; mindfulness involves attention to the present rather than the future. Finally, mindfulness may prevent hedonic adaptation.” Silberman supports his argument with research by Schwartz, Brown and Ryan, Gunaratana, Johnston et. al., Hanh, Lyubomirsky et. al., Thera, and Tolle. […]

By: Sherri Fisher

Sherri Fisher — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:06:55 +0000

Hi, Jordan–

As a yoga and meditation practitioner, I intuitively agree with the possibility that a person could use mindfulness to counter the need to maximize. I do think as well that the adundance of choice we face in daily life can be addressed through consciously limiting our access to some of it. What studies link mindfulness with self-regulation?

For instance, I know this is probably unAmerican, but I do not have cable TV, do not shop in malls, and do not shop around for the best deals at the supermarket, choosing instead to go to the same one for my bi-weekly visits. Some people call this being disciplined, but it is actually a way to not even have to be paying attention to “choice max-out.”

So if a pair of running shoes is in the mall but no one is there to see them, does that mean they do not exist in the Paradox of Choice? I like to think so.

This is a great article and as with all of your work, very well done!!