| Abstract: | Three experiments examined the effects of past choice experiences on the desire for choice. All 480 undergraduate Ss experienced both choice and no-choice trials and were asked whether they preferred to perform a 3rd set of trials under choice or no-choice conditions. Success on the choice and no-choice trials was manipulated to determine the effects of experienced outcomes on perceived choice and control, future expectancies, and the desire for choice. Exp I indicated that desire for choice is affected by past success with choice relative to their past success with no choice. Exp II suggested that perceptions of control are based primarily on past success under choice conditions and that their desire for choice is a consequence of these perceptions rather than of the objective efficacy of choice. Exp III demonstrated that breaking the link between perceptions of past control and future expectancies weakens the effects of past outcomes on the desire for choice. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
