Habit Over Value: Repetition Shapes Our Choices Across Contexts

A large-scale study across nine new decision tasks and six datasets finds that people’s choices are driven more by repeating past actions than by evaluating outcomes. This repetition bias leads to context-dependent, seemingly irrational preferences, with repeatedly chosen options being rated as better later on. The effect persists even when better or equivalent options exist, indicating a mental shortcut that shapes everyday decisions and has implications for shopping and design. Breaking the cycle requires deliberate stop-and-think moments to override automatic habitual choices.