Five Standards For Significant Choice

Nilsen states that stakeholders engage in significant choice when the following standards are met:

1. Stakeholders are free from physical or mental coercion.
2. The choice is made based on all the information available.
3. All reasonable alternatives are included in the discussion.
4. Both short-term and long-term consequences are disclosed and discussed.
5. Both senders and receivers of messages are open about the personal motives they have that may influence their decision-making.

With free flow of information and reasonable judgment based on their understanding of the situation, stakeholders can make objective decisions that they believe to be in their best interest.