Whether these differences are a central and stable part of personality or simply a frame of mind isn't clear. What is clear is that indecisive people cause themselves a lot of grief that those who are more satisfied with their decisions don't.

The study looked at the reactions of Florida State undergraduates after they had purchased a poster. After rating all the available posters, each person chose and bought one. They then re-rated all the posters. The satisficers in the group tended to raise the rating of the poster they had purchased and lower their ratings of the other posters, showing that they were committed to their choice and satisfied with it. Maximizers, on the other hand, were less likely to change their impression of the posters after they selected one.

The interpretation is that the maximizers still weren't committed to their choice, even after they made it. Their new purchase didn't bring them happiness, it brought them doubt and caused them to second-guess themselves.

The study also found that maximizers place a high premium on the option of being able to change their mind, even after making a decision. They want to avoid commitment. And as bad as it feels to constantly wonder if all the possessions in your life are up to snuff, doing so about all the people in your life feels even worse.

What this all suggests is that maximizers would be happier if they brought a little more perspective into their life and learned to accept minor decisions as final after they've been made.

Choosing the right house or the right mate are major decisions well worth serious deliberation. Choosing between the red and blue backpack shouldn't be. Sometimes it's best to settle for good enough and move on.

An article on the study appears in Personality and Individual Differences.

Image: olly/Shutterstock.

This article originally appeared on TheDoctorWillSeeYouNow.com, an Atlantic partner site.