An examination of the relationships between coping styles, task-related affect, and the desire for decision assistance

Abstract

Individuals cope in varying ways with the conflict and corresponding emotion resulting from the decision process. Their propensity to cope in a particular manner may subsequently influence their choice behaviors. The purpose of this research is twofold. We expand the study of decision task-related emotion by first examining how an individual’s decision coping style interacts with characteristics of the choice environment to influence decision task-related affect. Then, the effects of decision task-related affect and decision coping style on the desire for decision assistance, a choice avoidant behavior, are examined. Two types of maladaptive decision coping behavior, hypervigilance, and defensive avoidance are considered. Two characteristics of the choice context are also evaluated, the alignability of the differences that describe the options comprising a choice set and the attractiveness of the commonalities. Results indicate that an individual’s propensity to use a particular coping style and characteristics of the choice environment interact to influence choice avoidant behavior. Discussion of these results and implications for decision research and organizational decision-making are provided.