LexiconExpansion
Psychology of waiting
نفسية الانتظار
Definition
The psychology of waiting is the explanation of why a wait feels longer or shorter than the minutes it takes: unoccupied, uncertain, unexplained and unfair waits all feel longer. David Maister set out these principles in 1985; in a branch, showing the expected time and separating riders from families can lighten a wait without adding capacity.
In plain words
People do not just count minutes; how a wait feels depends on what you do about it.
Also searched as
- psychology of waiting lines
- queue psychology
- perceived wait time
- نفسية الانتظار
Origin and credit
The concept comes from David H. Maister. What the series adds is the application to Saudi multi-branch groups and the decision rule.
Original source
Where it is used
In Beneath Marketing
Related terms
Should I open a new branch? Run the numbers
How to cite this definition
Alhajj, S. (2026). “Psychology of waiting”. In The Revenue Engineering Lexicon, version 1.0. Riyadh. https://seiflden.com/lexicon/psychology-of-waiting/
For the concept itself, cite the original: David H. Maister, “The Psychology of Waiting Lines”, in The Service Encounter, Lexington Books, 1985.