The default effect is the tendency for individuals to stick with preselected or preset options, even when alternatives may be better suited to their needs. In online communities, this bias often appears in subscription plans, settings configurations, or survey responses, where users are more likely to accept default options rather than explore other choices. This effect capitalizes on decision-making inertia and the desire to avoid additional effort.
Community managers can leverage this effect responsibly by ensuring that default options are genuinely beneficial to users. Transparency and clear communication about alternative choices are crucial to maintaining trust and empowering informed decision-making within the community.
On a membership platform, the default plan might be a mid-tier subscription preselected during the signup process. Users often choose this option without reviewing the others. Administrators can ensure that defaults are appropriate for the majority while clearly displaying the benefits and costs of all plans to encourage informed decisions.