How Acute Stress Affects Decision-Making
Author Information
Author(s): Yang Yuxuan, Yan Bingxin, Sun Kewei, Wu Di, Wang Cancan, Xiao Wei, Parkinson John
Primary Institution: Department of Military Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
Hypothesis
Acute stress impacts performance in ambiguity decision-making by reducing an individual’s sensitivity to rewards and ability to learn from feedback, while simultaneously promoting an individual’s risk preference and propensity for risk-taking.
Conclusion
Acute stress impairs decision-making ability under uncertainty, leading to a focus on immediate rewards and neglect of long-term benefits.
Supporting Evidence
- Acute stress reduces focus on long-term rewards while increasing focus on short-term rewards.
- Trait anxiety had a moderating effect on the influence of stress on ambiguity decision-making.
- Participants under stress showed a lower proportion of selections of the increasing option in decision-making tasks.
Takeaway
When people are stressed, they often make quick decisions that focus on short-term rewards instead of thinking about what might be better in the long run.
Methodology
The study used a laboratory acute stress induction paradigm and analyzed decision-making tasks under stress and control conditions.
Potential Biases
The study's reliance on self-reported measures may introduce bias.
Limitations
The study only included male participants, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
64 male university students, Mage = 20.25.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.005
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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