Study: Adding solutions isn't always effective – psychology reveals 'additive bias'
New research shows that people tend to add rather than remove elements when solving problems, which can worsen issues. Experts recommend balancing 'doing more' with 'doing less'.
Social media feeds and broader culture often make people feel they are not doing enough – not spending enough, not saying enough, not taking enough care. This pressure is palpable both online and in daily life, suggesting that today's most urgent issues can only be solved by squeezing as much as possible into the day.
However, psychology research indicates that the 'more is more' approach may not be the most effective. The human mind naturally gravitates toward adding elements to solve problems rather than removing them. For example, to alleviate burnout, most people would add an hour-long meditation class to their calendar before removing a stressful, low-priority commitment. They would buy an expensive sleep supplement to improve rest instead of cutting down on after-hours computer time. To prevent food waste, they would look up a complicated TikTok recipe for leftover produce rather than resisting the impulse to overbuy perishables.
This tendency is called 'additive bias'. It is especially prevalent in highly consumerist societies and among social media users who are encouraged to compare their lives to others'. Ironically, this mindset can weaken problem-solving skills.
According to a 2025 study published in Communications Psychology, participants consistently recommended additive solutions (e.g., meditating and exercising) over subtractive ones (e.g., quitting smoking or limiting alcohol) for mental health struggles. They also rated additive solutions as more 'feasible and effective', even when the measurably easier and more efficient fix came from the opposite approach. Researchers found that people become more additive as they age. Even ChatGPT advice is biased toward additive solutions, which it recommends quickly and confidently, even if they don't best serve the user.
Dr. Tom Barry from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, the study's lead author, noted: 'While well-meaning, [this] can unintentionally make mental health feel like an endless list of chores. Good advice should balance doing more with doing less.'
Therapist Linda Sanderville suggests periodically freeing up time without media consumption – no internet, no television, no news. She explains: 'It's hard to consume and create in the same state. If you value any kind of creativity, give your brain a break from consuming.' She emphasizes that this space must be created consciously because instincts guide us toward consumption, not away from it.
