From ordering food to buying a new book to making a charitable donation, more and more decisions that used to be made on paper are now being made on digital devices like tablets, phones, and computers. And this trend toward digitalization has many advantages, in particular when it comes to efficiency and sustainability — but could it also be negatively influencing how we make decisions?
Research: We Make More Virtuous Choices When Using Pen and Paper
As digitalization becomes the norm, more and more decisions that used to be made on paper are now being made via digital devices. And to be sure, this trend has many benefits — but the authors’ recent research suggests that it could also be causing people to make less virtuous choices. Specifically, a series of studies with participants across the U.S. and China found that people are less likely to choose the virtuous or responsible option when making a decision on a digital tablet than when using paper forms, menus, or other decision-making materials. This is because using paper makes a decision feel more real and thus more representative of the decision-maker as a person, ultimately making them more likely to make a virtuous choice. Of course, using paper doesn’t make sense in every context, but this research suggests that at least in certain situations, it can be an effective way to push employees, customers, or community members to make more-virtuous decisions.