A decision strategy in which an agent selects the first alternative that satisfies a minimum threshold of acceptability, rather than continuing search to find the optimal solution. Parameters: (1) a satisficing threshold below which options are rejected, (2) a search process that terminates upon finding a satisfactory option, (3) bounded information processing capacity that limits exhaustive search. Persists through teaching in behavioral economics and organizational theory, repeated use in human decision-making practice, and implementation in AI algorithms that implement satisficing search. [formal: satisfacere | substrate: behavior | horizon: a moment | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.60]
Accepted ontology entry
satisficing
A decision strategy in which an agent selects the first alternative that satisfies a minimum threshold of acceptability, rather than continuing search to find the optimal solution. Parameters: (1) a satisficing threshold below which option…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made decision strategy where agents select the first option meeting a minimum acceptability threshold rather than searching for the optimal solution. Developed by Herbert Simon and Allen Newell as the behavioral counterpart to bounded rationality, embedded in organizational procedures, AI algorithms, and everyday human practice.
Names and aliases
- satisficingen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrmfdby0002qd1nlh9ok230jINSTANCE_OF →
satisficing IS a specific kind of heuristic: a decision shortcut that selects the first acceptable option rather than optimizing. Satisficing maps to 'a heuristic' per competent speaker usage. Specific→general per Law 9.
- cmrnpwjwq02y6d1nl4am3t71xSERVES →
Satisficing SERVES decision-making: it is a decision strategy explicitly designed for the sake of making acceptable choices under constraints. Its purpose is to further decision-making's operation by enabling 'good enough' resolutions when optimization is infeasible. Law 8d: servant→master.
Relations to this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Jul 23, 2026, 5:50 PM UTC
- Content hash
- 7e1f130a51a40feed76cb0c9728c811809b01f2a680e2d781dd7bba97bbbbd06