Decoy Effect

Shrink Definition

The decoy effect is when adding a third, clearly worse option changes which of the original two we prefer. The decoy isn't meant to be chosen, it's there to make one option look better by comparison. It quietly steers choices in pricing and menus. Our preferences turn out to be relative, not fixed.

Plain language

Adding a worse third option nudges you toward a particular choice.

Shrink Insight

We judge options against each other, not on their own, so a decoy can steer us.

Why it matters

It shows how our choices are shaped by the options placed beside them, common in pricing and marketing. Spotting it helps you judge an option on its own merits.

Common misunderstanding

People think their preferences are stable and internal. Adding an irrelevant option can flip which choice feels best.

Shrink Perspective

What looks like a better deal is often just a better comparison.

Shrink Reflection

Where was I steered by an option I would never actually pick?

Shrink Step

When comparing options, judge each on its own value, not against a nearby decoy.

Shrink Minute

Recall a pricing menu where the middle option seemed designed to push you.

Shrink Takeaway

A worse option can quietly sell you a pricier one.

Medical boundary

Evidence summary

A well-replicated finding in judgment and consumer research, also called the asymmetric dominance effect.