Choosing Less‐Preferred Experiences For the Sake of Variety

Data from several experiments show that, contrary to traditional models of variety seeking, individuals choose to switch to less‐preferred options even though they enjoy those items less than they would have enjoyed repeating a more‐preferred option. Two explanations for this finding are tested. Results indicate no evidence of a benefit to more‐preferred options due to the contrast to less‐preferred alternatives. However, the results of three studies suggest that retrospective global evaluations favor varied sequences that also include less‐preferred items as opposed to sequences that only include more‐preferred items, even though these more varied sequences result in diminished enjoyment during consumption.