Maximizer or Satisficer?
You guys know I get a kick out of made-up words! Here is a new one, and it perfectly describes me – satisficer. A satisficer is someone who, when making a decision, “would rather be fast than thorough; they prefer to quickly choose the option that fills the minimum criteria (the word “satisfice” blends “satisfy” and “suffice”).”
I have long been interested in the process of how people make buying decisions, because I know many people who enjoy doing a lot of research, and spend muchos time analyzing options and coming to the “best” conclusion – and I’ve wondered why I am not like that! This article (pdf here) calls those people “maximizers.” “‘Maximizers’ like to take their time and weigh a wide range of options—sometimes every possible one—before choosing.”
Interestingly, I clicked on this article to read in my newsfeed because the title was “How You Make Decisions Says a Lot About How Happy You Are.” I wasn’t expecting the article to focus on this topic that I’ve always wondered about! Exciting discovery (… for me, ha ha)!
So, the takeaways:
- “Maximizers are people who want the very best. Satisficers are people who want good enough.”
- A small (aren’t they all?) study was done on college students graduating and getting jobs. The maximizers in the group got “better” jobs with higher salaries than the satisficers, but felt worse about their jobs.
- “Maximizers make good decisions and end up feeling bad about them. Satisficers make good decisions and end up feeling good.”
- “Satisficers also have high standards, but they are happier than maximizers. Maximizers tend to be more depressed and to report a lower satisfaction with life, research found.”
- “The older you are, the less likely you are to be a maximizer—which helps explain why studies show people get happier as they get older.” Some people get happier as they get older, ha ha.
- “One of the things that life teaches you is that ‘good enough’ is almost always good enough. You learn that you can get satisfaction out of perfectly wonderful but not perfect outcomes.”
Geesh! They really make maximizers out to be miserable folk! There are definitely people out there who have too high of standards for most things, but I doubt everyone who enjoys doing research during the decision making process feel “bad” about the decisions they make! Or hates life.
However, I do see the point made that satisficers are generally happier because they aren’t torturing themselves, wondering if they made the right decision, or getting so stressed during the decision making process.
A lot of the end of the article focused on being in a relationship where one person is a maximizer and the other is a satisficer. The article recommended letting the person who the outcome was most important to make the decision.
That is the kind of relationship we have – Steven loves to research options before making a decision, and I just dive right in! I’ve gotten better over the years though – now I read the Amazon reviews before purchasing something. Ha ha.
Are you a maximizer or a satisficer?
The article included this quiz to help you figure it out, in case you don’t know off the top of your head!
Ha ha. Um, the only ones I don’t disagree with are #2 and #12. And #12… who doesn’t fantasize from time to time?
Themocracy
I am a maximizer, it seems…lol. But I am quite happy with my life, so don’t agree with the fact that I make good decisions, but feel bad about them?
Yeah, that is a generalization for sure! Not everyone could feel that way. But I do see how the satisficers might be a bit happier, overall.
I guess I’m more of a maximizer. Sigh…
Hmm… really interesting information! I think I’m more of a satisficer but I can definitely see that I’ve moved that way through the years. And it depends on the decision too. The more important it is and the more investment (in time or money) it requires, the more research I’ll do. But once I make a decision, I just let it go and trust it was the right one. I don’t keep re-evaluating.
Do you dread the research part of the decision making? This is what I struggle with. I know it has to be done, but I am so compulsive, I want to go with the first thing that “works”!
It depends on whether the end goal is something fun or not. I enjoy researching for vacations, races, etc. I don’t enjoy researching for new appliances, etc. and then just give up at some point and decide with whatever limited information I have.
I love this term. I am definitely more of a satisficer. I just want to get decisions made and get things done!
Definitely a satisficer. I don’t ponder most decisions at all. Maybe some of the bigger things, like buying a car, I will research a bit more, but I’m generally happy with my decisions and don’t fret over them.
I’m a maximizer for sure. Oh, god, #6. I could spend more time picking the movie than watching it.
Wow! Really?!?! Is that because you want to make sure you get the right movie for the mood you are in, or what? 🙂
I’ve given your question some thought, Kim. 😉 I think it’s because I want to find the right movie for the mood I’m in, and also because I know the next one I look at on Netflix could be the most perfect one!
I thought about this too, yesterday, when I had some free time to pick any Netflix movie I wanted (read: not negotiate with Steven). And I found that since only I had to enjoy it (vs just having something on), I did take a bit more time picking it!
Interesting! I think I am a maximiser for some things and a satisficer for others. Like, #5,6, 7, yes, definitely. But #2, 3, 9, not at all.
I came across a made up word I really like recently: “perspectacles”, as in “put your perspectacles on” and look at something with some perspective. It was in an article I shared on FB a while back about being satisfied with your home the way it is.
You are definitely in the middle, then!
Oh cool! I love that made up word. I need to go look for that article. Sounds good!
I think there is a missing aspect of this dichotomy. Either a satisficer or a maximizer can also be more or less inclined to be a second-guesser. Perhaps a maximizer is somewhat more inclined as they must realize that they can never truly make a perfect decision.
I definitely have maximizer tendencies, but I’m not much of a second-guesser. Once I make my decision, I move on. I do sometimes end up in analysis paralysis, but I can usually recognize it and switch to satisficer mode. If I can’t decide between a set of options, then I can conclude that the decision likely doesn’t matter and just pick one.
That being said, the quiz pretty clearly marks me as a satisficer. What’s missing, I think, is that I *like* the analysis, but only when data is available. If there is a lack of data, I simply make a decision. Also, numbers have to be involved to trigger my analysis. I have no trouble writing, though I suppose I do tend to wordsmith a bit rather than just going with whatever my fingers first produce.
Thinking about it a bit more, I realize that I do loosely follow certain rituals to avoid complicated decisions. For example, whenever I put my laundry away, I keep it generally sorted chronologically — within clothing type. Then, when I’m choosing what to where, I pretty much just grab the first thing in this sorting. No decision required. 🙂
Yes, that is a great point! There is nothing that stops either from second-guessing… or not at all!
My husband is like you in that he really enjoys doing the research and then is happy with the result, knowing he did the research. That is interesting that you say numbers have to be involved… do you mean pricing or specs or?
Either, really. Particularly if it allows me to create a spreadsheet.
I agree with you, Ren. If I’m deciding something enjoyable, like where to go for a vacation, looking at all of my options is part of the fun.
My husband and I LOVE making spreadsheets. I track so many things. Nerd alert!
Oh no, that article recap made me worry that I’m a maximizer (I WOULD be, ugh). It was hard for me to understand when people in school were like, “Eh, I just want to pass.” and actually didn’t care about their grade other than that. I say that in a condescending-sounding way, but I was actually really jealous about people who could prioritize what they cared about. That seems like the biggest problem with being maximizer: you expend so much energy caring about all these decisions that don’t really matter! I guess there’s hope that I’ll stop giving so many shits about things and become a satisficer, haha.
It’s interesting that you bring up these attitudes in academia because I didn’t even think of that. I was mostly thinking of making purchasing decisions! I can’t imagine being in school if you weren’t going to care about it. That sh*t ain’t cheap! 😛