Have you ever noticed that when you visit Starbucks, most people tend to choose the Grande size? Why is that? They often say, “It just feels right.” This choice is not coincidental; it can be explained by the Goldilocks effect—a psychological phenomenon in which people naturally avoid extremes and prefer the middle option.
What is the Goldilocks Effect?
The Goldilocks effect is named after the fairy tale where Goldilocks picks the porridge, bed, and chair that’s not too hot or cold, too big or too small, but just right. In psychology, this means that when people face several choices, they tend to avoid the smallest (which feels cheap or insufficient) and the largest (which feels expensive or overwhelming), preferring the moderate option that feels right, balanced, and reasonable.
How Marketers Use the Goldilocks Effect
Marketers have known about this effect for a long time and use it to influence what we buy. Starbucks offers three cup sizes—tall, grande, and venti. The smallest feels too little, the largest too much, and the middle one hits the sweet spot. That’s why Grande is usually the most popular.
Dr. Sanjay Arora, PhD, has shared a reel on the same phenomenon. He has highlighted examples like Apple’s iPhone lineup, where most buyers skip the cheapest and priciest models and go for the middle version. Netflix’s three subscription plans are basic, standard, and premium, with the middle plan attracting the most customers. SaaS (Software as a Service) companies like Canva, Zoom, and Shopify, too, place their products strategically between cheaper and pricier options to look more appealing.
What Psychology Tells Us About Choice
The Goldilocks effect is a reminder of how deeply human psychology influences decision-making, even in everyday life. Our brains dislike extremes because the lower end feels like a compromise in quality, while the higher end feels risky to commit. We naturally gravitate towards the “just right” option because it feels safe, balanced, and comfortable.
Economists and psychologists have tested this and found that offering three choices, not two, not many increases satisfaction and reduces decision fatigue. But why? Because humans, by nature, seek security, and the middle ground always feels safer.
Why This Matters Beyond Marketing
Understanding the Goldilocks effect is useful not just for marketers but also for medical communicators, doctors, and anyone trying to guide choices effectively. Recognizing that people prefer balanced options can help in designing patient information, treatment options, or health campaigns that feel less intimidating and more acceptable.
This principle applies to a lot more than just consumer choices.
Fitness, for example. Pushing too hard can lead to burnout, and doing too little will not show any progress. The key is to find the right level of intensity and duration. Nutrition? Same story. Too much or too little of anything, whether it’s carbs, protein, or fats, leads to excess or deficiency. Taking a balanced diet is a key to optimal health. Even our mental health benefits from the Goldilocks effect. Working too much feels draining, and too less feels aimless. Finding a balance between productivity and rest is what helps function well in the long term.
So next time you pick that Starbucks Grande, remember—it’s not just about coffee. It’s your brain’s way of choosing comfort and balance, the Goldilocks effect at work in everyday decisions.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Pooja Bansal/MSM)