Examining Behavioral Processes in Indecision: Decisional Procrastination and Decision-Making Style

Abstract The present research examined the behavioral processes by which individual differences in decisional procrastination are reflected in decision-making style. It was hypothesized, on the basis of previous research suggesting that people higher in decisional procrastination have a higher threshold for certainty before making a decision, that participants higher in decisional procrastination would not only take longer to complete the task, but also would seek more information about an alternative eventually chosen before making a decision. Participants, who had previously completed a decisional procrastination scale, were instructed within a behavioral process paradigm to search information about alternative choices on a decision-making task involving the selection of college courses. The number of dimensions (four vs six) and number of alternatives (two vs five) were systematically varied. The results provided convergent evidence with descriptive studies suggesting that rather than being unsystematic and easily distracted in their information searches, people higher in decisional procrastination are systematic and strategic but search for more information specifically about chosen alternatives. Theoretical and practical implications are considered.