More or enough: maximizing and satisficing in different socio-ecological contexts

Abstract

The thesis aimed to understand maximizing (seeking better options) and satisficing (choosing a good enough option) in rural and metropolitan contexts of a country in transition of India. The overall prediction is that socio-cultural, market and economic factors favouring open market system would lead to higher maximizing in people in metropolitan regions than people in the rural regions. Two studies through field surveys were carried out in the rural and metropolitan region of Northern India, with farmers and corporate employees respectively (N = 893). The first study primarily focussed on the cultural, market and economic factors of individualism-collectivism, achievement motivation, neoliberal orientation, and socio-economic amenities. The study was carried out with 466 participants in the rural and metropolitan regions. The findings show that maximizing was higher among the corporate employees than farmers, and this difference was mediated by neoliberal orientation and socio-economic status. The second study examined the effects of relational mobility, perception of tight versus loose social norms, hierarchic self-interest, and perception of necessity and luxury. The study was carried out with 427 participants among farmers and corporate employees. The findings show that that higher maximizing among the corporate employees was explained by higher relational mobility and higher importance of luxury than among the rural participants. The above findings show increasing maximizing preferences are caused by a change in socio-relational structure and shift in necessities due to increasing neoliberalism and urbanization. This has implications for social change and decision preferences in the developing countries.