Includes bibliographical references (p. [237]-256) and index.

Prologue: The Paradox of Choice: A Road Map -- Pt. I. When We Choose -- Ch. 1. Let's Go Shopping -- Ch. 2. New Choices -- Pt. II. How We Choose -- Ch. 3. Deciding and Choosing -- Ch. 4. When Only the Best Will Do -- Pt. III. Why We Suffer -- Ch. 5. Choice and Happiness -- Ch. 6. Missed Opportunities -- Ch. 7. "If Only...": The Problem of Regret -- Ch. 8. Why Decisions Disappoint: The Problem of Adaptation -- Ch. 9. Why Everything Suffers from Comparison -- Ch. 10. Whose Fault Is It? Choice, Disappointment, and Depression -- Pt. IV. What We Can Do -- Ch. 11. What to Do About Choice.

"Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions - both big and small - have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented." "In the Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice - the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish - becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice - from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs - has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse." "By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counterintuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make."--BOOK JACKET.