Are there never too many choice options? The effect of increasing the number of choice options on learning with digital media

Abstract

Based on the Self-Determination Theory, the choice effect states that offering learners choice options independent from their relevance for learning will increase the perception of autonomy and intrinsic motivation as well as the learning performance. However, an increasing number of choice options can also have detrimental effects. This study examines the influence of the number of choice options on learners' performance. In the first experiment (N = 208) with a one-factorial between-subjects design with the factor number of choice options (two to six choice options) and an additional control group without a choice, the motivation, autonomy, cognitive load, and learning scores were measured. Results revealed that three to five choice options increased learning-relevant variables most. In the second experiment (N = 180) with a one-factorial between-subjects design, two, four, or six choice options as experimentally relevant groups found in Experiment 1 were tested again to validate the findings and test mediations derived from the data of Experiment 1. Results reveal that the increase in learning from two to four options is mediated by an increase in decisional autonomy, whereby the decrease in learning from four to six choice options is mediated by a decrease in affective autonomy.