Picture this: You have finally arrived home after a long day to a tasty dinner. Comfortably settled on the couch with a plate of steaming hot food, your favourite kind, you grab the remote. The television comes to life, granting you the option to access entertainment from the four corners of the earth, in different languages and genres. You start to browse and find a multitude of choices, ranging from comedy, romance, and horror to psychological thrillers and web series, movies and sports, and cartoons.
There are so many options to choose from, all ready to serve as a delightful companion to your lovely meal. But now you just can’t choose. This plethora of options suddenly overwhelms you. And as you struggle to find the perfect entertainment choice, a once enjoyable dinner grows cold. The aforementioned crisis that individuals face daily in a variety of different settings is commonly known as “Decision Paralysis.’
Adriatico et al. (2022) define the phenomenon as “the abandonment of deciding due to overanalysis.” The definition suggests that it is simply a state where an individual is unable to make a choice or reach a decision owing to the choices they are presented with and the overanalysis that has gone into them. It is also known as ‘Analysis Paralysis’ or ‘Choice Paralysis’ and can plague the decision-making capacity of several individuals, especially when the stakes are high. The following article aims to explore the paradoxical human behaviour of Decision Paralysis.
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Understanding the Psychological Basis of Decision Paralysis
The concept of ‘Decision Paralysis’ only gained traction in the late 1960s in discussions about decision-making processes in corporate spaces (R et al., 2021). However, the phenomenon has been referenced in numerous literary works ranging from Aesop’s Fables to Jane Buridan’s conception of free will. Its occurrence in daily life suggests the presence of multiple underlying factors that promote such behaviour.
1. Paradox of Choice
Schwartz (2005) suggested that too many options can complicate the decision-making process, leading to overall dissatisfaction with the final decision. In his work, Barry Schwartz suggests that making a choice is hard, and making a good choice is harder; however, the process of choosing well in a world of unlimited possibilities is very difficult (Pilat & Krastev, 2025).
2. Dichotomous Thinking
Individuals who categorise the world into two separate sections of good and bad, displaying little to no flexibility in thinking, often find it difficult to make decisions. Their tendency to black and white thinking can create intense fear and anxiety when a decision needs to be made because it can be entirely wrong or perfectly right. In situations when decisions fail to meet the criteria of both categories, further indecision can plague them (Clarke, 2023).
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3. Regret Aversion
A form of cognitive bias that is deeply rooted in the fear of failure, it encourages individuals to make decisions based on its outcome and subsequent feelings of regret in the future. Suggesting that an individual is likely to choose the option with the least prospects of regret. Regret aversion may seem like a tool to enhance decision-making, but it leads to overthinking and a fixation on negative outcomes, which thwarts decision-making capacities (Braithwaite, 2024).
4. Cognitive Overload
While the brain boasts great capacities, it can go into a state of overload, especially when overcome by physical and mental fatigue (Jia et al., 2022). Simultaneously, when the brain is presented with a plethora of sensory inputs, the analysation capacities can weaken due to limited cognitive resources, leading to poor decision-making capacity (Pilat & Krastev, 2025).
5. Pursuit of Perfection
In the pursuit of perfection with every decision, an individual can significantly harm decision-making capacities by placing undue pressure on flawless outcomes and total control (Clarke, 2023). Also known as ‘Perfectionary Paralysis’, it is essentially an individual’s want for perfection, which leads to avoidance and procrastination (Drillinger, 2025).
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6. Lack of Confidence
When an individual does not have confidence in themselves, it will reflect on their decision-making capacities. They will be consumed by self-doubt and, in the pursuit of greater clarity, may seek external validation. However, opinions of others may not align with their needs or wants, further worsening indecision by creating conflict between internal dialogue and external recommendations (Grimaldi et al., 2015).
7. Emotionality
Many individuals find themselves paralysed with indecision when they have to choose between emotionality and practicality. Especially those who are emotional thinkers find themselves constantly battling in emotionally charged situations (Ratson, 2023).
Signs of Decision Paralysis
Since decision-making is already a task of significant cognitive load when it is combined with feelings of stress and anxiety, it becomes more challenging to make decisions. However, to ease the emotionality, an individual will aim to find more clarity through information gathering and reflection, but will end up more consumed and confused. This constant cycle will perpetuate the belief that making a decision is impossible. The phenomenon of Decision Paralysis can lead to discomfort and can be accompanied by several symptoms, such as:
- Overthinking and ruminating on thoughts about the situation
- Increased stress response
- Increased anxiety and vigilance
- Disinterest in making a decision
- Procrastination
- Avoidance
- Lack of productivity
- Mental fatigue
- Excessive pursuit of validation
- Seeking clarity through more information
Decision Paralysis has become too common, and it is important to address it before it begins to consume every aspect of every individual’s life. Only upon recognising these symptoms can an individual take the appropriate efforts to break the cycle of indecision.
Read More: Anxiety and Apathy Affect Decision Making in Opposite Ways
Navigating Out of Decision Paralysis
An individual who suffers from Decision Paralysis can take steps to gain control over their decisions. These efforts will essentially help them realise that decision-making is to move in the face of uncertainty with confidence rather than focusing on perfectionism. A few strategies an individual can use to navigate out of Decision Paralysis include:
- Rule of Elimination: Whenever faced by a multitude of options, an individual can begin to boil down the options that truly align with their needs by eliminating those that don’t. This will help by reducing the burden of too many options and the consequent cognitive load.
- Setting Deadlines: Decision Paralysis is often accompanied by avoidance of the situation. Instead, if an individual were to give themselves a clear deadline to arrive at a decision, they would no longer be able to put it off and would be forced to address it.
- Decision making: As a task and not a test: Opting out of the dichotomous approach that labels every choice as right or wrong and holds the decision-making process as a test of character can ease the process for an individual. Instead, viewing it simply as a task that must be completed reduces the pressure.
- Breaking the decision down: While it is important to consider the future results of a decision, an individual can get caught up in them and ignore the present reality. However, if one takes the effort to break down an emotionally cumbersome decision into smaller components and then evaluates them, it may become easier to make a decision.
- Satisfaction over Perfection: One cannot possibly anticipate the outcome of every choice, especially when the goal is perfection. Instead, opting for choices that meet the needs of an individual rather than perfectly suiting the situation can be extremely beneficial.
- Reducing Noise: As the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth. Seek help from only a few people who truly understand your needs and appreciate your feelings while making any decision.
- Decision-Making Frameworks: Established methods such as SWOT analysis, listing the Pros and Cons, and decision matrices could aid in the decision-making process. They can also serve as a method for mapping out the problem and breaking off from excessive thinking.
Conclusion
With technological advancements and development, humans have created multiple options to choose from; however, they have not developed the necessary cognitive capacities to decide between a sea of choices. Decision Paralysis plagues almost every individual in multiple aspects of life and slowly eats away at their mental well-being. However, individuals can still pursue this quest for clarity by finding ways to simplify the decision-making process.
FAQs
1. Is Decision Paralysis similar to Reflection?
No. Decision Paralysis is when an individual overthinks or ruminates over a situation. We may reflect on similar experiences of thinking, but we follow it with deliberate action. On the other hand, decision paralysis traps us in an endless loop with no progress.
2. Can individuals suffer from Decision Paralysis in only a few areas of life?
Yes. Experiences of Decision Paralysis need not persist in every aspect of an individual’s life. They can depend on a wide variety of factors, especially on the individual’s levels of confidence regarding the situation. The phenomenon of decision paralysis depends upon the context, which can be based upon previous experiences, support, received, values, confidence, and more.
3. How can I support an individual who is paralysed by indecision?
When another reaches out for support with making a decision, an individual needs to help them make the decision rather than decide for them. Especially in cases of persistent decision paralysis, when an individual decides for someone constantly, it will ruin their confidence even more. Instead, an individual can help the other realise what matters to them, and even reduce the pressure around the situation by offering valuable perspectives.
References +
Adriatico, J. M., Cruz, A., Tiong, R. C., & Racho-Sabugo, C. R. (2022). An Analysis of the Impact of Choice Overload on Consumer Decision Paralysis. Journal of Economics, Finance and Accounting Studies, 4(1), 55–75. https://doi.org/10.32996/jefas.2022.4.1.4
Braithwaite, L. (2024, December 16). Regret Aversion – Biases & Heuristics | The Decision Lab. The Decision Lab. https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/regret-aversion
Clarke, J. C. M. (2023, November 27). What is analysis paralysis? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-analysis-paralysis-5223790#toc-how-does-analysis-paralysis-happen
Drillinger, M. (2025, February 24). 7 Steps to Breaking the ‘Perfectionism, Procrastination, Paralysis’ Cycle. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/7-steps-to-breaking-the-perfectionism-procrastination-paralysis-cycle
Grimaldi, P., Lau, H., & Basso, M. A. (2015). There are things that we know that we know, and there are things that we do not know we do not know: Confidence in decision-making. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 55, 88–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.04.006
Jia, H., Lin, C. J., & Wang, E. M. (2022). Effects of mental fatigue on risk preference and feedback processing in risk decision-making. Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14682-0
Pilat, D., & Krastev, S. (2025a, January 16). The Paradox of Choice. The Decision Lab. https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/economics/the-paradox-of-choice
Pilat, D., & Krastev, S. (2025b, May 12). Choice Overload – Biases & Heuristics | The Decision Lab. The Decision Lab. https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/choice-overload-bias
R, V., Gowda, K. R., & Banerjee, J. (2021). A Study on Decision Paralysis in Customers with Special Reference to Placing an Order in a Restaurant. TRANSNATIONAL MARKETING JOURNAL, 9(2), 253–266. https://doi.org/10.33182/tmj.v9i2.1560
Ratson, M. (2023, August 7). How to use emotions constructively in decision making. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-wisdom-of-anger/202308/the-power-of-emotions-in-decision-making
Schwartz, B. (2005). The paradox of choice: Why More Is Less. Harper Perennial.
Silvers, A. (n.d.). The Right-Wrong Trap: How Black-and-White thinking skews decisions. Ann Silvers, MA. https://annsilvers.com/blogs/news/the-dichotomous-thinking-right-wrong-trap
