Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision Domains
Do maximizers maximize across decision domains? An assumption underlying the literature on maximizing is that the tendency to strive to make the best choice spans domains. The current research provides a direct test of this assumption by examining the association between trait maximizing and domain-...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-01-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02664/full |
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author | Michail D. Kokkoris |
author_facet | Michail D. Kokkoris |
author_sort | Michail D. Kokkoris |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Do maximizers maximize across decision domains? An assumption underlying the literature on maximizing is that the tendency to strive to make the best choice spans domains. The current research provides a direct test of this assumption by examining the association between trait maximizing and domain-specific maximizing, consisting of maximizing measures in a wide range of decisions (consumer goods, services and experiences, and life decisions). Study 1 tested this association at two different time points in order to minimize common method bias. Study 2 was a high-powered pre-registered cross-sectional replication. Results of both studies showed that trait maximizing was associated with higher maximizing tendencies across all three decision domains. However, in line with prior research suggesting that people generally maximize less in experiential than in material domains, trait maximizing was associated with maximizing in services and experiences significantly less than with maximizing in consumer goods or in life decisions. These results provide empirical support for a central tenet of maximizing theory and suggest useful directions for future research. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:46:07Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-708ce0a559fa4c7698f119150324b40b |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1664-1078 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:46:07Z |
publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | Article |
series | Frontiers in Psychology |
spelling | doaj.art-708ce0a559fa4c7698f119150324b40b2022-12-22T01:28:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782019-01-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.02664425701Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision DomainsMichail D. KokkorisDo maximizers maximize across decision domains? An assumption underlying the literature on maximizing is that the tendency to strive to make the best choice spans domains. The current research provides a direct test of this assumption by examining the association between trait maximizing and domain-specific maximizing, consisting of maximizing measures in a wide range of decisions (consumer goods, services and experiences, and life decisions). Study 1 tested this association at two different time points in order to minimize common method bias. Study 2 was a high-powered pre-registered cross-sectional replication. Results of both studies showed that trait maximizing was associated with higher maximizing tendencies across all three decision domains. However, in line with prior research suggesting that people generally maximize less in experiential than in material domains, trait maximizing was associated with maximizing in services and experiences significantly less than with maximizing in consumer goods or in life decisions. These results provide empirical support for a central tenet of maximizing theory and suggest useful directions for future research.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02664/fullmaximizingdecision makingdecision domainsconsumer goodsexperiences |
spellingShingle | Michail D. Kokkoris Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision Domains Frontiers in Psychology maximizing decision making decision domains consumer goods experiences |
title | Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision Domains |
title_full | Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision Domains |
title_fullStr | Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision Domains |
title_full_unstemmed | Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision Domains |
title_short | Maximizing Without Borders: Evidence That Maximizing Transcends Decision Domains |
title_sort | maximizing without borders evidence that maximizing transcends decision domains |
topic | maximizing decision making decision domains consumer goods experiences |
url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02664/full |
work_keys_str_mv | AT michaildkokkoris maximizingwithoutbordersevidencethatmaximizingtranscendsdecisiondomains |