Are maximizers really unhappy? The measurement of maximizing tendency

By Dalia L. Diab, M. Gillespie, Scott Highhouse. Judgment and Decision Making, 2008

193 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Recent research suggesting that people who maximize are less happy than those who satisfice has received considerable fanfare. The current study investigates whether this conclusion reflects the construct itself or rather how it is measured. We developed an alternative measure of maximizing tendency that is theory-based, has good psychometric properties, and predicts behavioral outcomes. In contrast to the existing maximization measure, our new measure did not correlate with life (dis)satisfaction, nor with most maladaptive personality and decision-making traits. We conclude that the interpretation of maximizers as unhappy may be due to poor measurement of the construct. We present a more reliable and valid measure for future researchers to use.

Subfields: Applied Psychology, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d01fe835b3a654809ae5516a88c54f82cfd87e24

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Citations in the corpus

The Maximization Inventory (2012, methodology): “Defining the maximization tendency as “a general tendency to pursue the identification of the optimal alternative” (p. 365; Diab et al., 2008), Diab et al. developed the Maximization Tendency Scale.”
On the meaning and measurement of maximization (2016, unknown): “Specifically, in line with the arguments of Dalal et al. (2015), Diab et al. (2008), Lai (2010), and Weinhardt et al. (2012), it is theoretically true that, at least in a perfect world, maximizers do not necessarily need to experience decision difficulty.”
The maximizing mind-set (2014, background): “…to the literature on maximizing tendency as an individual difference by demonstrating causal instead of correlational relation between maximizing and psychological consequences (Diab, Gillespie, and Highhouse 2008; Iyengar et al. 2006; Nenkov et al. 2008; Roets et al. 2012; Schwartz et al. 2002).”