This research proposes that the need to have an opinion can make consumers choose less preferred options. We review literature from several
disciplines indicating that holding opinions is an automatic human response associated with adaptive psychological benefits. We then theorize
that when this need is activated in any domain, it can have carry-over effects even in unrelated domains by inducing an inquisitive choice mindset
and expanding consumers’ consideration sets. This proposition rests on the assumption that less preferred options offer a higher experience
utility, which can better satisfy the need to form opinions on a wider range of topics. Three experiments with diverse consumer and
non-consumer choices as well as various operationalizations and methodologies provide empirical evidence that priming the need to have an
opinion makes consumers less likely to make choices based on their stated preferences. These results suggest that the need to have an opinion
can affect consumer decision-making in predictable and systematic ways by encouraging preference-inconsistent choices. Theoretical and
managerial implications are discussed.