Poster #13 - Choosing to Choose: Examining Choice Preference in Toddlers

• In Event: Poster Session 10

Abstract

Self-Determination Theory considers autonomy as one of three universal psychological needs required for overall well-being and healthy psychological adjustment (Deci & Ryan, 2012). Experience with choice plays a crucial role in the development of autonomous behavior. Indeed, research demonstrates that feelings of personal control and volition through choice-making is adaptive, whereas the restriction of choice is associated with deleterious outcomes (Leotti et al., 2010). Prior studies suggest that choice is preferred over non-choice, even when exercising choice requires more effort and yields no additional rewards (Leotti & Delgado, 2011; Bown et al., 2003). Despite the benefits of choice however, an overabundance of it contributes to choice overload, a term used to refer to individuals’ difficulty with decision-making when presented with a large number of options (Chernev et al., 2015). The research on choice-making behavior has been limited to adults, with little developmental research on children, particularly in early childhood, when children are increasingly afforded independence. In this study, we examined preference for choice in toddlers aged 2-3 years using a novel paradigm. Children were invited to choose a sticker from one of two sides of a book: one side contained a single sticker whereas the other side contained multiple stickers, representing choice. For half of the participants, the singleton appeared on the left side of the page whereas the multi-option appeared on the right. The number of stickers presented on the multi-option side increased by 3 (1 v. 2 to 1 v. 26) across 9 trials. Data were collected from 106 typically developing children (47% female) ages 21-40 months (M = 30.36, SD = 4.98); 88% White; Median family income = $125,000-$149,999; Median parent education = Graduate/professional degree. Children selected from the multi-option side 71% of the time (p<.001), Cohen’s g=.21, with similar results at 24, 30, and 36 months of age. Nevertheless, there were individual differences in choice behavior, such that 23% of children selected from the multi-option on every trial and 9% of children selected the singleton on every trial. There was a linear effect of trial number, such that the probability of selecting from the multi-option page increased as a function of the number of options, covarying for age, gender, and left/right orientation, Wald (1) = 16.98, p<.001. For every 3-item increase in the number of options presented on the multi-option page, the odds of children choosing from that page increased by 1.13 (Fig. 1). Children did not show evidence of choice overload by reverting to choosing the singleton when presented with a large number of options (quadratic term, p = .417). Together, these findings demonstrate that young children have an affinity for choice which increases as a function of the number of options afforded, and that there are individual differences in choice preference. These findings might help inform the development of age-appropriate guidelines regarding provision of choice by parents and educators. Future research is needed to examine the constraints on this behavior, developmental trends, and whether it is related to emerging cognitive skills.

Authors

• Romulus J Castelo, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Presenting Author

• Stephanie M Carlson, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities