David Matz
Well-known member
This is from The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz. It is an interesting in light of the upgrade issues that frequently come up on the forum.
Maximizers, when faced with choice, will seek out the absolute best option, even if it means surfing a hundred websites or visiting a dozen stores. Satisficers set standards for themselves and will choose the first option that meets their standards. The problem with maximizing is that after the choice is made, the maximizer is still haunted by the possibility that there might be a better option out there. Satisficers, on the other hand, are unconcerned about the other options because they are happy with what they have. Not surprisingly, satisficers are more satisfied with their purchases than maximizers, even though maximizers may have made an objectively better choice.
Are you a maximizer or a satisficer? To find out, answer the following questions with a number between 1 (disagree completely) and 7 (agree completely).
- Whenever I'm faced with a choice, I try to imagine what all the other possibilities are, even ones that aren't present at the moment.
- No matter how satisfied I am with my job, it's only right for me to be on the lookout for better opportunities.
- When I am in the car listening to 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.
- When I watch TV, I channel surf, often scanning through the available options even while attempting to watch one program.
- I treat relationships like clothing: I expect to try a lot on before finding the perfect fit.
- I often find it difficult to shop for a gift for a friend.
- Renting videos is really difficult. I'm always struggling to pick the best one.
- When shopping, I have a hard time finding clothing that I really love.
- I'm a big fan of lists that attempt to rank things (the best movies, the best singers, the best athletes, the best novels, etc.)
- I find that writing is very difficult, even if it's just writing a letter to a friend, because it's so hard to word things just right. I often do several drafts of even simple things.
- No matter what I do, I have the highest standards for myself.
- I never settle for second best.
- I often fantasize about living in ways that are quite different from my actual life.
If your score is over 65, you tend to maximize. If your score is below 40, you are more of a satisficer. In the book, Schwartz says the test was given to thousands of people and the high score was 75.
How do you score? I scored a 73.
Maximizers, when faced with choice, will seek out the absolute best option, even if it means surfing a hundred websites or visiting a dozen stores. Satisficers set standards for themselves and will choose the first option that meets their standards. The problem with maximizing is that after the choice is made, the maximizer is still haunted by the possibility that there might be a better option out there. Satisficers, on the other hand, are unconcerned about the other options because they are happy with what they have. Not surprisingly, satisficers are more satisfied with their purchases than maximizers, even though maximizers may have made an objectively better choice.
Are you a maximizer or a satisficer? To find out, answer the following questions with a number between 1 (disagree completely) and 7 (agree completely).
- Whenever I'm faced with a choice, I try to imagine what all the other possibilities are, even ones that aren't present at the moment.
- No matter how satisfied I am with my job, it's only right for me to be on the lookout for better opportunities.
- When I am in the car listening to 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.
- When I watch TV, I channel surf, often scanning through the available options even while attempting to watch one program.
- I treat relationships like clothing: I expect to try a lot on before finding the perfect fit.
- I often find it difficult to shop for a gift for a friend.
- Renting videos is really difficult. I'm always struggling to pick the best one.
- When shopping, I have a hard time finding clothing that I really love.
- I'm a big fan of lists that attempt to rank things (the best movies, the best singers, the best athletes, the best novels, etc.)
- I find that writing is very difficult, even if it's just writing a letter to a friend, because it's so hard to word things just right. I often do several drafts of even simple things.
- No matter what I do, I have the highest standards for myself.
- I never settle for second best.
- I often fantasize about living in ways that are quite different from my actual life.
If your score is over 65, you tend to maximize. If your score is below 40, you are more of a satisficer. In the book, Schwartz says the test was given to thousands of people and the high score was 75.
How do you score? I scored a 73.
