Dear friends near and far,
It’s FEBRUARY! Welcome to Black History Month. We are playing close attention to this special series in honor of the month.
Emily here. I’ve recently been making a lot of bigger life decisions: home-buying vs. renting, deciding where to live, wedding planning, etc. Top of mind during all of this is a decision-making theory I learned in a social psychology class back in college: maximizers vs. satisficers, or the two types of decision-makers. (Unpackers will know we’re into decision-making theories).
Here’s the rundown:
Maximizers want to make the “perfect” decision. They strive to maximize the outcome of the decision, so they’ll spend more time and energy weighing options. Maximizers tend to make the most logical decisions, but they’re more prone to decision-regret afterwards.
Satisficers want to make a “good enough” decision, and can make decisions faster and with less information. Satisficers might not make the “perfect” decision, but they’re usually happier with their choice in the end.
People tend to fall into one of the two buckets above, but can put on the characteristics of either for different types of decisions. For example, I’m a maximizer when it comes to choosing where to eat when traveling (hello, 30 minutes on Yelp), but a satisficer when walking down the grocery aisle.
In the end, I think it’s wise to subscribe to the advice of Stephanie Preston, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan: "In theory, the perfect mix would be to satisfice [sic] most of the time, and only maximize the decision process when the stakes are high … But then after making a careful choice, you have to return right away to thinking like a satisficer, because otherwise you will still be unhappy with your decision, however good.”
In sum, you’ll find me in satisficer land, but dabbling in maximizing when it’s a high-value decision.
Carrie and readers, I’m curious, how does this sit with you?
Carrie: This is a very helpful paradigm, thank you for sharing this, Emily! It strikes me as another way to organize one’s goals. Basically, if I want to make faster decisions, I need to put on my “satisficer” hat even when it doesn’t come naturally. I could see myself making two lists (e.g. what do I need to “maximize,” and what can I afford to be “satisfied” about), and then trying to follow/acknowledge those scripts in my decision-making. Right now I might be too much of a maximizer on the coffee front ;)
Water Cooler Convo
Emily: TV report! I just finished the latest season of Ozark and then started Archive 81, which is admittedly scarier than anticipated. Watching anything good besides Sesame Street, Carrie?
Carrie: Can’t decide if that Sesame Street comment is throwing some shade?! Haha. Let’s see: I watched CODA (thanks for the rec, Han) last weekend and am still feeling good vibes from it, in particular this song from the soundtrack.
Carrie: In book-land, I’m making my way through Emily Oster’s The Family Firm. So far, it’s highly relatable but may be playing into some “maximizer” intensity. Her newsletter, ParentData, is definitely worth checking out for those interested.
Emily: Thanks for keeping the parenting beat alive, CP!
Emily: Carrie, did you hear the news? Capital B launched a few days ago! Capital B is a new nonprofit news organization reporting by and for Black communities across the U.S. Also John Legend tweeted about them, which was exciting.
Carrie: This IS exciting! Thanks for flagging the launch. I’m also pumped to keep an eye on Word In Black’s work.
Readers, in light of our decision-making rundown above, we hope you make some good (but not TOO good) decisions this weekend, if you know what we mean.
Your pals,
Carrie & Emily