satisficing

social science

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July 20, 2026

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Satisficing is a decision-making strategy where individuals aim for a satisfactory outcome rather than the optimal one. This concept, coined by Herbert Simon, acknowledges that humans have "bounded rationality" and cannot always process all available information to find the absolute best solution. Instead, people often choose the first option that meets their minimum requirements, blending the ideas of "satisfy" and "suffice". This mental shortcut, or heuristic, helps reduce cognitive load by simplifying complex decisions. While satisficing can lead to adequate results quickly, it may also result in suboptimal choices because not all alternatives are fully explored.123

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decision making
Satisficing and bounded rationality
…Simon labeled this process “satisficing” and concluded that human decision making could at best exhibit bounded rationality. Although objective rationality leads to only one possible rational conclusion, satisficing can lead to many rational conclusions, depending upon the information available and the imagination of the decision maker.
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…Simon labeled this process “satisficing” and concluded that human decision making could at best exhibit bounded rationality. Although objective rationality leads to only one possible rational conclusion, satisficing can lead to many rational conclusions, depending upon the information available and the imagination of the decision maker.
Read More