Satisfice
Term coined by Herbert Simon (1957) as a cross between satisfying and sufficing.
"Satisfice: To accept a choice or judgment as one that is good enough, one that satisfies. According to Herbert Simon, who coined the term, the tendency to satisfice shows up in many cognitive tasks such as playing games, solving problems, and making financial decisions where people typically do not or cannot search for the optimal solutions." (Reber, 1995).
In Library and Information Science (LIS) is Patrick Wilson among the authors, who uses Simon's concept:
"Efficiency in the use of
information is clearly desirable. It is not merely desirable; it is a test of
rationality. One standard view of rationality is that rational decision making
and rational belief formation require the use of all available relevant
information. The failure to use available relevant information is taken as a
prima facie sign of irrationality.... .. However, empirical evidence seems
clearly to point to inefficiency, to widespread failure to use relevant
information.. ... To say that people satisfice in the use of information may
simply mean that they "use search routines that are limited in extent, narrow in
conception, and suboptimal in outcome" (Wilson, 1996, p. 21 & 23)
Literature:
Reber, A. S. (1995). The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd
Simon, H. A. (1957). Models of Man: Social and Rational. New York: Wiley.
Wilson, P. (1996). Some Consequences of Information Overload and Rapid Conceptual Change. Pp. 21-34 in: Olaisen, Johan; Erland Munch-Petersen and Patrick Wilson (eds.): Information Science. From the Development of the Discipline to Social Interaction. Oslo: Scandinavian University Press.
See also: Futility point criterion; Overload
Birger Hjørland
Last edited: 23-03-2006