The Hobson selection effect refers to a kind of "choice" that has no choice, and the allusion comes from the condition proposed by Hobson, a merchant in Cambridge, England, when he sold horses in 1631: customers can choose any horse, but only the one near the door, which is actually equivalent to not giving customers real choice.
Simon, a management scientist, ridiculed this so-called "choice" with no choice as the "Hobson choice".
The Hobson selection effect is a small choice, a false choice, and in essence a formalist choice. People think they have made a choice, when in reality there is very little room for thinking and choice. With this self-rigidity of thinking, of course there will be no innovation, so it is a trap.
There are two main implications for us of the Hobson selection effect.
First of all, it is important for individuals to be unable to use their creativity if they fall into the trap of this effect. Because in this case, "choosing" without choice is equivalent to being unable to judge, which stifles creativity and prospects. What kind of environment a person chooses, what kind of life he chooses, if he wants to change, he needs to have more choice.
Second, for managers, if the criteria of the Hobson selection effect are used to constrain and measure others, it will stifle diverse thinking, and thus the creativity of others. In order to avoid falling into this decision-making trap, the key is to scientifically prepare the alternative scheme and the optimal scheme. In order to achieve a specific system goal, there are objectively a variety of ways and methods, on the basis of which the optimal or satisfactory scheme is selected as the decision-making scheme.