Have you ever asked someone for his or her advice on a subject, and ended up not liking their answer? Maybe as a result asked someone else instead? Seeking multiple opinions seems to help people make better choices, but why? What makes a choice feel so much safer, and clearer, when it's made by listening to someone else's opinion?

I think that it's easy to overlook, but this question can have a much deeper meaning than you may have first thought.

I know that when I am feeling indecisive, I like to be able to consider as many outcomes or results as possible. Therefore I ask multiple people for insight on my situation. But sometimes I only make it harder on myself by getting answers that are all over the place! Whether it's in regards to something as simple as what flavor coffee to get that day, or what kind of car I should buy! My friends can never seem to agree, and I can never seem to choose on my own.

For example when the walls in my new house were being painted, I asked a few friends of mine what color I should have done. My absolute best friend Generic_Name said, "I would love it if you got baby blue!" But when I asked my brother he responded with, "Just paint them black, doesn't matter anyway." I know, not a big help. The last person I asked was my co-worker Generic_Name, he said, "NO! Don't paint them! Walls should be left alone." What does that even mean? And even though I didn't get any answers that helped me make a decision, I still feel like I couldn't have done it without them!

I did a project on social anxiety in the fifth grade, I hardly even remember what all I actually did. But I do remember that one experiment I performed while studying social anxiety was asking a friend of mine, Generic_Name, what she thought of a t-shirt I had found online, and asking if she would want it. She was excited and said, "Oh my goodness really? I love that shirt, thank you!" and gave me a hug before walking away. Later I asked another girl the same question, making sure that Generic_Name could hear the response, but the second girl said the shirt was ugly and that she'd never wear it. Generic_Name later came to me and said she did not want the shirt, and that she had changed her mind. This was just the reaction I had been looking for, and another reason that I believe explains why we ask so eagerly for others opinions is that the question is not of an opinion, but of acceptance.

Why does seeking multiple opinions help us make better choices? I believe this question has many different answers, based off of different opinions, the fear of being rejected for personal opinions. A constant need of approval. Perhaps just simply wanting to be informed of as many possible outcomes thinkable. Maybe your just a girl with walls that need painted, or maybe your a guy that feels he needs to bend to meets others' standards, either way, we ask for advice left and right, seemingly everyday.