Abstract

Maximizers are individuals who search through many alternatives with the intention of gaining the best decisional outcome. Although significant empirical advances have been made in understanding the various characteristics typically associated with maximizers, much less is known about the impact of maximizing on memory. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between maximizing mindset and information recall, moderated by self-construal. We hypothesized that maximizing mindset would predict higher levels of recall of ranking information and that self-construal would moderate the effect. To test these hypotheses, an online study was conducted on Korean college students (N=179), in which the rank of different types of products was shown. They were later asked to recall the rank of the products after completing a filler task. As predicted, results demonstrate that under the maximizing mindset condition, individuals are more likely to recall the ranking information than those under the satisficing mindset condition. Moderation analysis found that higher level of independent self-construal compared to interdependent self-construal strengthened the relationship between maximizing mindset and ranking information recall. Underlying mechanisms and implications, as well as avenues for future research, are discussed.