In the master thesis, we present theoretically-critical analysis of current academic knowledge about the paradox of choice and related selected personality characteristics. In the theoretical part, we examine the topic of desition-making. First part defines concept of the paradox of choice. The next part also includes previous research related to paradox of choice and related factors. In addition, we examine the phenomenon of post-decision regret in the context of the paradox of choice. In final section we elaborate relevant personality characteristics. The empirical part investigates the effect of paradox of choice, its relation to personality characteristics and post-decision regret. The research includes experiment, which is extended with personality questionnaire measuring maximization tendency, decisiveness and optimism. Those traits are measured by using Maximization scale Lai (2010), Life Orientation Test- Revised (LOT-R) and Bochum Personality Questionnaire (BIP). In the discussion, we further explore features of maximization tendency. Results does not show presence of the paradox of choice. Nevertheless participants from group with the most choices showed significantly more satisfaction with choice compared to participants from group with least choices which suggests opposite effect. In...

This study aimed to establish a connection, if any, between perceptions of information disclosure about medical treatment and decisional conflict in bereaved parents of children with cancer. Decisional regret was an important theme in this exploration because decisional conflict strongly aligns with the propensity to mentally redo past events, thereby forming counterfactual alternatives to reality. People generate counterfactuals to hypothesize a more favorable outcome subsequent to a negative event or the death of a child as applicable to this study. A secondary objective was to investigate the potential influence of counterfactual processing and regret on the construct of self-acceptance: a phenomenon researchers have rarely studied in the population of interest. Study participants included parents who lost a child to cancer in the United States after participating in medical treatment prescribed by a licensed oncologist. Cluster and convenience sampling were employed to recruit 92 participants. Quantitative methods were used in obtaining data samples through validated instruments for each independent and dependent variable. The responses collected indicate that a perceived lack of information disclosure about treatment risks and efficacy, yield a positive influence on decisional conflict after the death of a child. Similarly, decisional conflict positively correlates with decisional regret, while the latter negatively correlates with self acceptance in the bereavement process. The research implications call for additional studies that further isolate factors that contribute to decisional conflict. This study advocates for decision making tools and collaborative processes that ensure parents are well informed and involved in making medical decisions from diagnosis through palliative care, if a cure is not possible.