Sociologists and psychologists have found for some time that more choices doesn't always mean more happiness. But I have not heard convincing explanations.
Here I attempt to give my explanation.
Suppose there are many choices. Each choice will give a different result based on what happens in the future. For example, choice #1 will give a good result if the next day is sunny, a bad result if the next day is cloudy. Choice #2 will give a good result if the next day is cloudy, a bad result if the next day is sunny.
Suppose I pick choice #1, and the next day is cloudy, I get a bad result. I will blame myself that I did not pick choice #2. This is a negative emotion. Also, if another person picked choice #2 and got a good result, I am envious, which adds additional negative emotions.
Now, let's suppose there is only one choice, which will give a good result if the next day is sunny, and a bad result if the next day is cloudy. Let's also suppose that the next day is cloudy, and I get a bad result. But I do not blame myself, and I am not envious of other people, thus there are no negative emotions.
In summary, if the results depend on something that is out of our control, then in both situations, the chance to get a good result is 50%. But when you have more choices, you have 50% chance to have two additional negative emotions. When you don't have any choice, you don't get those two negative emotions.
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