Relating Decision Making Styles, Depressive Symptoms, and Induced Mood to Risk Aversion
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Date
2011-06
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Depression is associated with decisions to withdraw from ones environment, and to avoid potentially rewarding situations. Currently, little research has examined the decision-making styles of depressed individuals. We investigated the relationships among depressive symptoms, decision-making styles, induced mood and the impact that each has on risk-aversion in hypothetical decisions made for the self and an unknown “other”. Two hundred and forty undergraduates completed a survey packet which included our various depression and decision making measures. Results revealed that a positive interaction between the regret based style and symptom level was the only predictor of risk-averse choices made for the self (p=.017), and the analytical style was the only predictor of risk averse choices made for others (p=.009). Additional findings showed participants to be more risk averse for others than for themselves in higher risk situations, but more risk-seeking for others in low risk situations. Implications and future directions are discussed.
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Keywords
judgement and decision making, depressive symptoms, risk aversion, decision making styles