The economics of manipulation: digital choice architecture and the rationality of consumer decisions
Abstract
This research paper thoroughly examines the current phenomenon of the modern digital commercial space functioning as a specific environment for targeted psychological influence on consumers. The relevance of the study is determined by the global digitalisation of markets and the introduction of complex algorithmic systems that effectively replace traditional methods of marketing persuasion with mechanisms of hidden manipulation. This situation poses a threat to an individualʼs cognitive autonomy and ability to make rational economic decisions. The research is based on the hypothesis that the digital architecture of choice is, by its very nature, a destructive environment in which the interplay between specific design ("dark patterns") and automated psychological triggers is aimed at disabling critical thinking and forcing the subject to take actions that contradict their real needs. To test the stated hypothesis, a comprehensive methodological apparatus was employed, combining terminological analysis, deductive modelling of cognitive reactions, and comparative analysis of e-commerce interface solutions. The results demonstrate a complex hierarchy of methods for exploiting cognitive inertia, automatic thinking, and emotional vulnerabilities of the individual. It has been proven that the digital architecture of choice artificially stimulates fast, subconscious thinking (System 1), while simultaneously blocking the analytical resources of the brain (System 2), which leads to the formation of the illusion of voluntary decision-making. This study examines how the digital architecture of choice transforms the traditional model of rational consumer behaviour, creating conditions for unfair competition and inefficient resource allocation. The scientific novelty of the study lies in identifying the connection between the emotional and value aspects of digital interaction and the overall effecttiveness of algorithmic manipulation. The practical value of the work lies in the development of the concept of psychological resistance as a strategy for individual self-defence. The authors propose an integrated model for counteracting manipulation that involves the introduction of ethical design standards and the active development of consumersʼ metacognitive skills. The results of the study can serve as a basis for the creation of educational programmes to improve digital literacy and the development of regulatory acts in the field of consumer protection. This work paves the way for studying the mechanisms of ethical programming of digital interfaces