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 highpowered
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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VIENNA/oai:epub.wu-wien.ac.at:6783 |
| Date | 01 1900 |
| Creators | Kokkoris, Michail |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| Source Sets | Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article, PeerReviewed |
| Format | application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Rights | Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) |
| Relation | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02664, https://www.frontiersin.org/, http://epub.wu.ac.at/6783/ |
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