According to a study
Why you might be less adventurous than you want to be
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Just try something new – if only it were that easy. In a study, researchers from Chicago have identified another factor that can inhibit our willingness to experiment.
There is much to discover and experience in this world – more than we ever could. There would be hundreds of interesting countries to travel to, thousands of charming cities to visit and just as many exciting foods, hobbies and people to get to know. But rather than exhaust the variety of options as far as possible, many people, given the choice, prefer what they already know. Even when they resolve to try something new and be more adventurous, some find it very difficult to put their intention into action.
One reason for this is certainly our need for clarity and certainty, which is less pronounced in some people than in others, but is at least inherent in all of us: when we know what is known, we know what to expect, while the unknown always harbors something uncertain and potentially dangerous. But that’s not the only obstacle that can make it difficult for us to embark on experiments and adventures. In a series of studies with a total of around 6,000 participants, researchers from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found that our outlook for the future also plays a role.
Unlimited opportunities encourage adventure
In the first part of their study, the scientists first had a good 1,100 test subjects decide whether they would try a new hobby or pursue an old one again – if it were the last time they would have the opportunity to do so. A clear majority opted for the known.
In a subsequent experiment, the researchers distributed restaurant vouchers to subjects with different future prospects: for some, it was foreseeable that they would eat out less frequently in the near future, while others had no reason to assume that they would soon would give fewer opportunities to eat out. While test subjects in the first group chose a restaurant they knew much more often, many more people from the other group chose a shop that was new to them. We can conclude from this that when we know or believe that we have leeway and that we have multiple opportunities available to us, we tend to be more willing to experiment than when there is only one opportunity. When asked about their reasons, the test persons stated that in the latter case they were too afraid of being disappointed.
What does the result mean for our lives?
Based on the study, we can assume that we are likely to be more adventurous and allow for greater variability in things that we do more often than in occasions that occur only rarely in our lives. For example, someone who eats out twice a week is likely to be more open to new restaurants or cuisines than someone who only dines out twice a year. Anyone who reads one book after the other is probably more likely to accept an unusual recommendation, an unknown author or an unfamiliar genre than a person who occasionally finds time to read on vacation. Based on this study, our age could also have an impact on our willingness to be adventurous: the less time we think we have in life, the more we may turn to the familiar instead of venturing into the unknown.
Trying out new things can be worthwhile in many cases, and most people find a comfortable balance of experimentation and the tried and tested in their lives, a harmonious interaction between their need for adventure and discovery and their need for certainty and clarity. Those who are satisfied with themselves and their lives do not have to force themselves to dare more experiments, nor suppress their own desire to try one thing after the other without ever being able to stick to anything. Still, sometimes it might help to know why we behave the way we do. Because often we can then decide a little better what we really want.
Source used: paket.de