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The results from four studies provide reliable evidence of how beliefs in an objective best influence the decision process and subjective feelings. A belief in an objective best serves as the fundamental mechanism connecting the concept of maximizing and the maximization paradox (i.e., expending great effort but feeling bad when making decisions, Study 1), and randomly chosen decision makers operate similar to maximizers once they are manipulated to believe that the best is objective (Studies 2A, 2B, and 3). In addition, the effect of a belief in an objective best on the maximization paradox is moderated by the presence of a dominant option (Study 3). The findings of this research contribute to the maximization literature by demonstrating that believing in an objective best leads to the maximization paradox. The maximization paradox is indeed the result of believing in an objective best.

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The current research aims to explore how people construe objects when being observed (vs. in a private context). Using different manipulations of observation and measures of construal, we demonstrate that people are more likely to apply higher-level construals when observed than in a private context (Studies 1–3); this effect holds when controlling for arousal level (Study 2) and is obtained under conditions of observation but not the mere presence of others (Study 3). Studies 4–6 explore the underlying mechanism of this effect: adopting the perspectives of others in the presence of observers. Study 4 demonstrates that when observed, people align their own preferences to their inference of the preferences of others, but this effect is not present in a private context. In Study 5, a mediation analysis suggests that individuals prefer the high-level option when observed because they adopt the perspectives of others. In addition, the link between context and construal level is broken when participants are explicitly asked to focus on their own perspective when observed or to adopt the perspectives of others in a private context (Study 6). Finally, Study 7 examines implications for evaluation of gifts.