The Effect of Induced Stress on Decision Making (original) (raw)

The purpose of the study is to determine if participants induced with stress would have a higher tendency for making disadvantageous decisions compared to those not induced with stress. The sample consisted of 40 students, 6 males and 34 females, of Saint Mary’s University who were randomly gathered and assigned into the experimental and control groups. Stress was induced by informing the experimental group that they had to speak in front of a crowd. Stress was measured through the State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI-AD). The results obtained showed no significant difference between the respondent’s group and their decision making skills. Though, there was a statistical difference between the stress levels of the participants and their tendency to make advantageous and disadvantageous decisions. Age and sex were also tested with decision making but no significant difference was found. The results also indicated that the longer the participants played the Iowa Gambling Task which measured decision making, the less advantageous the decisions they made. This study pointed out that stress levels have significant differences in terms of decision making and the longer one plays the IGT, the more disadvantageous decisions they make. Keywords: Induced stress, stress, anxiety, decision making, Iowa Gambling Task, STAI, STAI-AD, State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults

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