{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.022457891453524642, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0018714909544603868, 'mean_word_length': 5.467741935483871, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
When Choosing Implies Losing: Does Flipping a Coin Increase Forfeiture Thoughts?

When individuals choose between two options, one strategy they can apply is flipping a coin. Individuals might follow the coin’s suggestion without further thought. Another possibility is that they take advantage of the change in perspective that the random and clear suggestion affords. We here hypothesize that a coin flip increases forfeiture thoughts by making it salient that choosing one option means forgoing the other. We further expect more forfeiture thoughts when the coin flip’s outcome is incongruent with existing preferences. We conducted two studies (total N = 310) and found evidence that a coin flip suggestion increases forfeiture thoughts compared to a control group without a suggestion. Moreover, we found some evidence that a coin flip suggestion that is incongruent (vs. congruent) with initial preferences increases forfeiture thoughts. Congruency (vs. incongruency) also results in stronger feelings of validation. We follow up on these findings by suggesting a preregistered study that investigates both forfeiture and acquisition thoughts as well as confidence as a downstream consequence of the change initiated by the coin flip. Results, however, do not show that receiving a suggestion (neither congruent or incongruent) impacts forfeiture or acquisition thoughts compared to a control condition. Receiving a congruent (vs. incongruent) suggestion, however, results in stronger feelings of validation. We discuss these different result patterns and potential directions for future research.