MAXIMISERS OR SATISFICERS? IRONY OF CHOICE AND DECISION PARALYSIS SYNDROME AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN KERALA
Abstract
Purpose- Adolescence is the life phase between childhood and adulthood (aging from 10 to 19, as defined by the World Health Organisation). It is a stage of Identity Crisis; pushed back by undefined status, increased pressures, irrational decisions, and the search for self. ‘Making a choice’ is what exhibits one’s freedom and autonomy. It is axiomatic that a choice is good, but too many choices may confuse at times. Such a paralytic situation drowns the adolescents’ thoughts to indecisiveness and experience a misery-induced-tyranny. Hence, this paper discusses on how adolescents take decisions out of informed choices from various life aspects; reasons for their decision paralysis and defence mechanisms they adopt to rationalise their decisions. The study highlights decision-making styles among adolescents as ‘Maximisers’ and ‘Satisficers’ (Simon, 1956). Maximisers tend to be perfectionists, describing moreover an uncompromised and distressed approach to life. Satisficers opt for best possible choice, imparting happiness within themselves with what they opt. Design/ Methodology-Primary data was collected based on the standardised ‘Maximisation Scale’, with thirteen items propounded by Barry Schwartz in 2002 along with borrowed concepts from the ‘Desirability of Control Scale’ derived from the studies of Burger, J. M., & Cooper, H. M. (1979). The new scale was developed and validated based on thirty-nine statements under three factors, namely High Standards, Alternative Search and Decision Difficulty measured on the five-point rating Likert scale. The sample size estimated for the study was 232 respondents amongst adolescents from the state of Kerala, India. Lottery method of sampling was adopted to collect samples from the total universe of adolescents in Kerala. Data was grouped classifying them based on gender- Male, Female and Transgenders. Findings- As per most of the adolescence respondents tends to be ‘maximisers’ as the decision scores in these cases ranged from 71 to 117. Based on the objectives we found that adolescents take decisions out of informed choices from various life aspects. The analysis of data has been hypothesised and proved that their decision style is influenced by their demographical characteristics. It was also discovered that there is direct correlation between high design factors, alternative searches, and decision difficulty factors of adolescents. Practical Implications: This paper provides practical insights on how adolescents take up decisions as ‘maximisers’ or ‘satisficers’ and how this stand leads them facing decision paralysis due to overchoice problem. Originality/ Value- The paper is the first of its kind not ever published elsewhere and is original in nature.
Keyword : Adolescence, Maximisers, Satisficers, Choice, Decision Paralysis
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References
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