Choosing to Be Happy? Age Differences in "maximizing" Decision Strategies and Experienced Emotional Well-being

Overview

Journal Psychol Aging

Publisher American Psychological Association

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2016 Feb 26

PMID 26913927

Citations 10

Authors

Wandi Bruine de Bruin

Andrew M Parker

JoNell Strough

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Maximizing is a decision strategy that seeks the very best option, which is more elaborate and potentially more regret inducing than choosing an option that is "good enough." In surveys with a large national sample, we find that older adults are less likely than younger adults to self-report maximizing, which is associated with their better experienced well-being reported 2 years later. This pattern holds after controlling for demographic characteristics and negative life events. Our findings suggest that older adults could possibly be opting for decision strategies that make them happier. We discuss implications for interventions that aim to improve decision making. (PsycINFO Database Record

Citing Articles

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Adaptive aspects of maximizing in times of COVID-19: coping efforts linking maximization to well-being.

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Age-group differences in trust-related decision-making and learning.

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Maximizing tendency predicts university adjustment and academic performance.

Li M, Jia H, Wang H Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1188410.

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Susceptibility to default effects does not differ by age.

Nolte J, Lockenhoff C J Exp Psychol Gen. 2022; 152(4):1175-1187.

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