The Relationship Between Perfectionism and Maximization Tendency

Abstract

Personality traits are closely correlated with maximization tendency. However, few studies have characterized the link between the subdimensions of perfectionism and maximization tendency. Accordingly, no empirical literature has examined the mechanisms between them. This study examines the relationship between perfectionism and maximization tendency and how they are linked. Participants ( N = 450) were invited to describe their maximization tendency, achievement motivation, perfectionism, and demographic variables. The results showed that the two dimensions of perfectionism are positively correlated with the three dimensions of maximization tendency. The motive to achieve success (MAS) and the motive to avoid failure (MAF) could mediate the link between the dimensions of perfectionism and the dimensions of maximization tendency. Further analyses showed that MAS mediates the relationships between perfectionism and a high standard of maximization tendency, while MAF mediates the relationship between perfectionism and the decision difficulty of maximization tendency. MAS and MAF simultaneously mediate the relationship between perfectionism and alternative search. These findings suggest that decision difficulty and the other two dimensions of maximization differ in terms of their relationship with achievement motivation.