At present, the potential causal role that the availability of choice has in making people into maximizers is pure speculation. If the speculation is correct, we ought to find that in cultures in which choice is less ubiquitous and extensive than it is in the U.S., there should be fewer maximizers.
Barry Schwartz’s book, "The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less," discusses the concept that having an abundance of choices can lead people to become maximizers—those who strive for the best possible outcome rather than settling for good enough. However, he notes that the idea of choice availability causing this behavior is still a hypothesis.
Schwartz suggests that if this theory holds true, cultures where choices are limited would likely have fewer maximizers compared to the choice-rich environment in the United States. This speculation points to the relationship between the quantity of options available and the resultant decision-making behaviors in different societies.
