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Losing a dime with a satisfied mind: positive affect predicts less search in sequential decision making
Bettina von Helversen1, Rui Mata
1Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel. Switzerland. bettina.vonhelversen@unibas.ch
Psychology and Aging
|March 28, 2012
Summary
Older adults make poorer sequential decisions due to insufficient search, influenced by positive affect rather than cognitive ability. This study highlights affect's role in decision-making thresholds.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Sequential decision-making declines with age.
- The roles of cognitive ability and affect in this decline are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how cognitive ability and affect influence age-related differences in sequential decision-making.
- To examine the impact of positive affect on decision thresholds and search behavior.
Main Methods:
- A computerized sequential decision-making task (shopping simulation) was administered to younger and older adults.
- A formal model analyzed decision processes, examining option-acceptance thresholds.
- A second study manipulated affect in younger adults to establish causality.
Main Results:
- Older adults searched fewer options than younger adults, contributing to poorer performance.
- Older adults exhibited lower thresholds for accepting options compared to younger adults.
- Positive affect, not fluid cognitive abilities, correlated with search behavior in the task.
- Experimental induction of positive affect in younger adults lowered their option-acceptance threshold.
Conclusions:
- Positive affect is a critical determinant of search behavior in sequential decision-making.
- Increased positive affect in older adults may lead to insufficient search, impairing decision quality.
- Affective states, rather than solely cognitive decline, significantly impact age-related decision-making patterns.
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