Default effect
We tend to stick with the option that comes chosen in advance, even when changing it takes very little effort.
What problem it addresses
It explains why the option preselected in a form, a plan or a setting decides what most people end up choosing.
An example
An online survey asked people whether they wanted to be organ donors. The only thing that changed was which box came checked.
With no box checked, 79% agreed. People weren't against it: they simply stuck with whatever was set.
Why it happens
Changing an option takes a little effort, and we often don't make it.
The preselected option looks like a recommendation from whoever designed the form.
Leaving it as it is feels safer, because you don't have to justify the change.
Applications in design
Use it like this
Preselect the option most people would choose on reflection and that serves them best.
Avoid
Leaving subscriptions, insurance or permissions the person hasn't asked for preselected.
Don’t fall for it
A default is a design decision: check from time to time whether it still serves the person.
42% → 82%
What the research says
People who agreed to be donors depending on which box came checked (Johnson and Goldstein, 2003).
Solid evidence. A meta-analysis confirms the effect is real, although its size varies a lot by context (Jachimowicz et al., 2019).
Connections
Authors and works
- 2003
Eric Johnson and Daniel Goldstein
Showed the effect in organ donation, in an experiment and in data from European countries.
- 2019
Jon Jachimowicz et al.
Brought together dozens of studies to measure when and why defaults work.
Sources
Original sources
- Johnson, E. J., & Goldstein, D. (2003). Do defaults save lives? Science, 302(5649), 1338–1339. View source: Johnson, E. J., & Goldstein, D. (2003)
- Madrian, B. C., & Shea, D. F. (2001). The power of suggestion: Inertia in 401(k) participation and savings behavior. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116(4), 1149–1187. View source: Madrian, B. C., & Shea, D. F. (2001)
Academic reviews
- Jachimowicz, J. M., Duncan, S., Weber, E. U., & Johnson, E. J. (2019). When and why defaults influence decisions: A meta-analysis of default effects. Behavioural Public Policy, 3(2), 159–186. View source: Jachimowicz, J. M., Duncan, S., Weber, E. U., & Johnson, E. J. (2019)
Last reviewed: