In one research study, participants were given a choice: Either they could pay $38 to guarantee they would get a $50 gift certificate, or they could pay $28 to enter a lottery for a chance to win either a $50 or $100 certificate. If given the choice, which would you choose?
Most participants in the study, published in 2006 in The Quarterly Journal of Economics, selected the former option, indicating something interesting about the nature of humans: Many of us seem to prefer to pursue a relatively negative outcome rather than risk an uncertain one. In other words, many would rather know their future — even if it sucks — than live with the fear that accompanies uncertainty.
