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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Main Author: Michail D. Kokkoris
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
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.
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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