Political Ideology and Maximization

In this research, we examine the associations between political ideology and two central components of maximization: the maximization goal of choosing the best option and the maximization strategy of alternative search. Across three studies, we show that conservatives are more likely than liberals to pursue the maximization goal of choosing the best option. In addition, we demonstrate that the relationship between political ideology and the maximization strategy of alternative search is contingent on the maximization goal. Specifically, conservatives tend to engage in less extensive alternative searches than liberals when the maximization goal is not highly important. Conversely, when this goal is highly important, conservatives’ alternative search increases substantially, reaching a level comparable to that of liberals, although it does not exceed it. The effects of political ideology on both the maximization goal of choosing the best and alternative search remain significant after controlling for ideological extremity and demographic variables.