In a post from October of this year, I discussed the differences between maximizers and satisficers in making decisions and choosing between options. Maximizer and satisficer are terms coined by psychologist Barry Schwartz in his 2004 book entitled The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. Maximizers are defined as those people who refuse to settle on a choice until they find only the very best. Satisficers weigh their options but are content with settling for the option that is good enough. Of course, in reality, no one is completely one or the other all the time (some decisions we make quickly; for others, we deliberate on end), and for some decisions, most people settle for the “good enough” option; if they didn’t, they would be unable to make a decision about anything.
Are you curious to know whether you are a maximizer or a satisficer? Take this quiz to test yourself on the maximizer/satisficer scale:
Put a number from 1 (“Disagree Completely”) to 7 (“Agree Completely”) next to each item. Add up your score. A total of 35 to 50 suggests maximizer tendencies. A score of 50 or more indicates an extreme maximizer.
1. I often fantasize about living in ways that are quite different from my actual life.
2. No matter how satisfied I am with my job, it’s only right for me to be on the lookout for better opportunities.
3. When I am in the car listening to the radio, I often check other stations to see if something better is playing, even if I am relatively satisfied with what I’m listening to.
4. When I watch TV, I channel-surf, even while attempting to watch one program.
5. I often find it difficult to shop for a gift for a friend.
6. When shopping, I have a hard time finding clothing that I really love.
7. Renting videos is really difficult. I’m always struggling to pick out the best one.
8. I treat relationships like clothing: I expect to try a lot on before finding the perfect fit.
9. No matter what I do, I have the highest standards for myself.
10. I never settle for second best.
Quiz adapted from “Maximizing vs. Satisficing: Happiness Is a Matter of Choice,” by B. Schwartz, A. Ward, J. Monterosso, S. Lyubomirsky, K. White and D.R. Lehman. “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,” 2002, 83, 1178-1197. © 2002 by the American Psychological Association. Adapted with permission.
(Reprinted from a Parade magazine article.)
You can read more about maximizers and satisificers in the post in which I discuss my own decision-making process while shopping for a pair of shoes.
I got 27 on the quiz. What does that mean. I have very hard time deciding on small things like shopping…but am content with overall life
Kera, thanks for your comment. The scoring works like this:
You’re probably more of a satisficer than a maximizer.
I actually think polpee who are true optimizers really hate New York, because New York will drive them crazy. This city will make any optimizer realize that they are NEVER enough, no matter how hard you try. It doesn’t matter how much money one makes in this city, there’s always someone two years younger and making twice as much. It doesn’t matter how good looking one is, there is another person more good looking and younger in age. It’s a cruel crule world for an optimizer, because it’ll be extremely difficult to optimize here. A lot of polpee get wrapped up in the never ending search of a better job, a better apartment, or a better boyfriend/girlfriend, because let’s face it there will always be a better one out there in the city. Optimizers are the ones who eventually move out to suburbs because out there, it’s easy to optimize People who actually choose to remain in the city for hte long haul are those who appreciate the diversity of experiences this city has to offier. But I don’t think they are necessarily optimizers, because at some point they have to accept and be content with what they have (or don’t have) and feel good about it all, NOT because you are the best (you never will be) but because you are who you are.