Open AccessCognitive and Affective Influences on Decision Quality
Author(s) -
Michaela Clark,
Julie Hicks Patrick
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
research directs in psychology and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2831-6738
DOI - 10.53520/rdpb2022.10723
Subject(s) - psychology , cognition , decision quality , affect (linguistics) , variance (accounting) , salience (neuroscience) , multilevel model , cluster (spacecraft) , regression analysis , quality (philosophy) , cognitive psychology , statistics , mathematics , computer science , knowledge management , team effectiveness , philosophy , accounting , communication , epistemology , neuroscience , business , programming language
Introduction: Cognitive and affective factors influence decision outcomes, but few studies have examined both factors simultaneously. Study 1 used cluster analysis to test whether affective profiles related to decision domains could be identified as individual difference factors. Study 2 extended these findings to test whether such profiles can predict decision quality.Methods: We analyzed importance and meaningfulness ratings from 1123 adults regarding four low-frequency but high-salience decisions. Profile analyses revealed three meaningful profiles. A subset (n = 56) of adults completed quasi-experimental decision tasks in two of these domains.Results: Hierarchical regression examined the contributions of the affective cluster from Study 1 and executive functions to decision quality. We first regressed decision quality onto an index of executive function (F (1, 53) = 4.57, p = .037). At Step 2, affective cluster accounted for an additional 12.5% of the variance in decision quality, Fchange (2, 51) = 4.01, p = .024. The overall model retained its significance, F (3, 51) = 4.37, p = .008, R2 = .205. Conclusions: Together, Study 1 and 2 demonstrate that affective components related to the decision domain can be used as individual difference factors and that these account for unique variance in decision outcomes.