Decision Vision II: Investigating the Effect of Mental Simulation During Affect-Induced or Logic-Induced Intuitive and Rational Decision Making

Can visualizing different possible outcomes of a decision help someone arrive at the choice that is best suited for them?

Does it matter if that person is a more rational or intuitive thinker? 

All individuals have unique decision-making processes, yet some common elements are evident, such as characteristics of the decision maker, environmental factors, and the decision style employed. The rational decision-making process, utilizing logic and analysis, is studied widely and often depicted as the superior style. The intuitive process, which is largely subconscious and affect driven, is not afforded the same level of research, and therefore is poorly understood, leading many to dismiss its importance in the decision-making process. However, recent breakthroughs in intuition research are offering new insights into its complex process. Research supports the positive relationship between mental simulation and decision affect, as well as the positive relationship between decision affect and accuracy in intuitive decision making. The main objective of this study is to investigate the possible effects of mental simulation on accuracy during feeling-induced versus logic-induced complex decisions, by intuitive and rational decision makers. The study also investigates if the decision maker’s natural decision-making style (i.e., intuitive or rational) has an impact on the process. I hypothesized that the use of mental simulation will result in greater accuracy for decision makers with a predominantly intuitive decision-making style for affect- and logic-driven complex decisions. I also hypothesize the use of mental simulation will result in greater accuracy for decision makers with a predominantly rational decision-making style for affect-driven complex decisions, but not for logic-driven complex decisions. Three hundred participants completed the online study developed to test these hypotheses and data analysis was done through binomial logistic regression. Neither hypothesis showed significant support, but two significant findings about decision-making style and accuracy were found and are reported.