ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we have modified Kahn’s (1966) view and employ the term the tyranny of small decisions to refer to situations in which an individual can be victimized by the narrowness of the temporal context in which he or she exercises choice. The value of the term is threefold. First, use of the word “tyranny” suggests a behavioral pattern that occurs more than just occasionally. Second, the tyranny of small decisions specifies not only the behavior (choice) but also its consequence (negative outcomes). Third, this phrase, as we use it in this discussion, suggests the reason for the behavior, namely, that one makes “small decisions” or fails to base his or her present choice upon future events adequately. Nevertheless, this phrase alone does not provide an adequate explanation, because it does not answer the question: Why is the future not adequately taken into account?
