Maximizing Tendency Scale (MTS)

Diab, D. L., Gillespie, M. A., & Highhouse, S. (2008). Are maximizers really unhappy? The measurement of maximizing tendency. Judgment and Decision Making, 3(5), 364-370.
The measure: Diab et al. (2008) Maximizing Tendency Scale.doc
See also Schwartz et al.'s (2002) original Maximization Scale and Nenkov et al.'s (2008) Maximization Scale - short.


Table of Contents


Description


History of Use


References


Description:

Purpose

The MTS was designed to assess how individuals approach decision situations. Specifically, it distinguishes between two approaches:
  • Maximizing is the tendency to optimize when making decisions. It is characterized by "spending more resources in an effort to make incrementally better decisions."
  • Satisficing is the tendency to use shortcuts when making decisions and to settle for a "good-enough" option that passes a "threshold of acceptability."
Designed to be an improvement, some items of the MTS are drawn from Schwartz et al.'s (2002) original Maximization Scale.
Questions

9 items using 5-point ratings (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree)
Sub-scales

N/A
Domain


Psychometrics


Sample items

  • No matter what it takes, I always try to choose the best thing.

History of Use:

Scale Development and Validation:


Scale development and validation.
  • MTS did NOT correlate with:
  • MTS did correlate with:
    • Maximization (Maximization Scale; Schwartz et al., 2002): r(191) = .48, p < .01
    • Regret (Regret Scale; Schwartz et al., 2002): r = .27, p < .01
    • Hypothetical situational dilemmas (correlations reported for each dilemma)
    • Behavior reports: r = .21, p < .05

Diab et al. (2008)


References:

Scale:
Diab, D. L., Gillespie, M. A., & Highhouse, S. (2008). Are maximizers really unhappy? The measurement of maximizing tendency. Judgment and Decision Making, 3(5), 364-370.
Uses:

No uses recorded

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