In Goal Pursuit, I Think Flexibility Is the Best Choice for Me but Not for You
研究发现在追求个人目标时，人们倾向于为自己选择灵活计划，而为他人选择严格计划，因为灵活计划虽被认为效果较差但更令人愉悦，为自己做决策时更依赖情感。
Consumers regularly attempt to improve themselves. This research examines how consumers think about flexibility during goal pursuit, for themselves and others. Flexibility involves leaving details of a plan, such as when to go to the gym or what to eat, open or easy to change, whereas rigid plans determine those details in advance. Here, several studies across a variety of goals show that people usually choose rigid plans for others. However, people are more likely to opt for some flexibility in their own plans. This occurs because many people believe flexible plans are less effective, but also more appealing (or less unpleasant), than rigid ones. Choosing for oneself, versus for someone else, increases the degree to which one follows one's heart (i.e., relies on feelings and desires), which makes people more likely to choose the more appealing option, flexibility. Asking people to “follow their heads” instead (i.e., rely on logic and reason) causes people to choose similar (rigid) plans for themselves and others. Finally, the authors use this framework to increase preferences for rigid fitness plans in a field experiment. This research provides insight into the psychology of flexibility and how to nudge consumers to set themselves up for success.