Maximize Your Satisfaction!

Another semester of university is nearing its end. Time sure flies. A lot of hard work, but there were also a lot of fun moments (and also some not that fun moments, but you can’t have one without the other). All in all: I’m looking forward to the next semester!

HDR
HDR

Recently I read The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwarz. The book talks about how people make choices and more specifically about the abundance of choices that is offered to us these days.

The author distinguishes between two types of choice behavior: maximizers and satisficers. The first group always wants the very best and does everything to find the best deal. They spend a lot of time to find the best buy. Even when they have found a good buy, they’ll still continue lurking for a better buy.

The satisficers on the other hand have a standard. As soon as they find something that meets this standard, they stick with it. That they might find a better deal right around the corner doesn’t interest them much. That doesn’t mean satisficers are happy with less, satisficers can have high standards too. They just stick with the first thing that meets their standard.

To which group do you belong?

In the next 200 pages, the author explains (among other things) how satisficers are the ones that are lucky. The make their choices more easily and have way less trouble in handling the overdose of choice. They are also less likely to regret making a choice.

Pavlov
Pavlov

December 18, 2006 20:29

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