RUI: Dyadic and Individual Decision Making

Carleton College, Northfield MN

Investigators

Abstract

This project is a longitudinal study of parents making school and program placement decisions for their children. The study has 4 specific aims: (1) To compare the decision making of couples to that of individuals; (2) To compare the information gathering and decision structuring of people who report themselves as having different decision-making styles; (3) To examine the relationship between the performance variables (amount of information gathered, complexity of the decision structure) and affective response variables (ratings of stress, satisfaction, comfort, enjoyment with the decision-making process itself) and to eventual, retrospective evaluations of the decision making; and (4) To compare the decision-making of novice and experienced parents, and of less educated and more educated parents. The study will provide descriptive data on dyadic decision making in real life contexts, It will contribute to a better understanding of how the "fit" between both parents' thinking, information gathering, and decision structuring influences the thoroughness of information gathering and decision structuring, affective reactions during the decision-making process, and retrospective satisfaction with the decision. This research will also improve our understanding of how making a decision with a partner is different from and similar to making a decision alone.