Risky decision-making and delusion proneness: An initial examination

Delusion proneness is an individual-differences characteristic, existing on a continuum from no delusional thoughts to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Previous research found individuals high in delusion proneness request less information to make decisions, potentially making a decision without sufficient information (jumping to conclusions). The present study examined risky decision-making as a function of delusion proneness. Participants (n = 102) completed the Peters Delusions Inventory to assess delusion proneness, and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Game of Dice Task (GDT) to assess risky decision-making. Although no significant results emerged on the GDT, those scoring higher in delusion proneness decided more advantageously on the IGT than those scoring lower in delusion proneness. Exploratory analyses indicated no significant relationship between gender and task performance. The present study provides further insight into risky decision making as a function of delusion proneness.