Regulating speed, accuracy and judgments by indecisives: Effects of frequent choices on self-regulation depletion

Abstract

Two studies examined individual differences in indecision on performance speed, accuracy, and subsequent self-control. In Study 1, indecisives (n = 36) took longer yet maintained accuracy as decisives (n = 39) on a Stroop task anticipating feedback (no feedback, success, or failure). Indecisives in the no feedback condition depleted their self-regulatory resources while maintaining accuracy. In Study 2 the number of Stroop trials increased with no performance feedback. Indecisives (n = 25) compared to decisives (n = 25) maintained accuracy yet took significantly longer and experienced depleted self-control. Prior choice exertion by indecisives to regulate effectively performance accuracy depleted capacity for subsequent self-control, and indecisives seem aware of lowered self-regulation energy. A self-control strength model may be important in understanding indecision.

Introduction

Baumeister et al., 1994, Baumeister et al., 1998, Vohs and Heatherton, 2000 proposed that self-regulation resources become depleted over repeated use. Muraven, Tice, and Baumeister (1998) found that self-control activities produced subsequent self-regulation failure when engaging in a motor task (squeezing a hand-grip tightly) or a cognitive problem solving task (solving anagrams). Twenge, Tice, and Baumeister (2000) reported that frequent binary choices produce decision fatigue, depleted cognitive resources necessary for effective subsequent decision-making. Decisional fatigue disables one to “pull from reserves” enough ego strength to consume a healthy, but bad-tasting drink despite a cash incentive.

Vohs, Baumeister, Twenge, Schmeichel, and Tice (2005) found that a series of binary choice decisions produced a “depleted” state that affected subsequent self-control impairment. Participants who made a series of simple binary choices on products (e.g., choosing between a yellow or white candle) choose to consume less of a bad-tasting beverage than persons who did not make such choices. Rawn et al. (2005) across three studies found that making repeated binary decisional choices taxed the self-regulation energy of participants making them less effective at subsequent self-control. These studies indicate that frequent choice decisions may exhaust self-regulatory strength and, in turn, decrease subsequent attempts to demonstrate self-control.

The present studies explored self-regulation in relation to chronic indecision, commonly referred to as decisional procrastination (cf., Ferrari, Johnson, & McCown, 1995), a stable maladaptive pattern of postponing a decision when faced with conflicts and choices (Janis & Mann, 1977). Indecisive tendencies were negatively related to self-esteem, competitiveness, and confidence at making decisions, positively related to ease at being distracted (Beswick et al., 1988, Ferrari, 1994, Harriott et al., 1996), and not significantly related to intelligence (Effert & Ferrari, 1989). Indecisives compared to decisives took longer latencies on an experimental decision-making task, but only when the task was perceived as unpleasant (Frost & Shows, 1993). Indecisives searched for less attributional information than decisives when the number of alternatives and dimensions increased when choosing self-relevant information (Ferrari & Dovidio, 2000). Indecisives avoided all the necessary information needed to make an accurate, fully informed choice between equally attractive alternatives.

In relation to individual differences in decision-making, it is possible that indecisives take longer to make decisions in some situations because the target task is perceived as difficult and requiring cognitive effort. Indecisives may ineffectively self-regulate their task performance across repeated trials when uncertain about performance, especially on difficult, demanding cognitive tasks. Within highly demanding cognitive tasks poor self-regulation of speed and accuracy by indecisives might occur because they do not process all necessary stimuli to reach effective decisions (Ferrari, 2001, Ferrari and Dovidio, 1997, Harriott et al., 1996).

To the extent that repeated self-control or regulation is “like a muscle” building strength with time and practice (Baumeister et al., 1998, Muraven and Baumeister, 2000), it was expected that decisives would have a “stronger muscle” than indecisives after high cognitive task demands. Ferrari and Dovidio (2001) found that indecisives were not able to process information effectively under high cognitive load (counting audio clicks while searching information elements). We expected indecisives compared to decisives to demonstrate poor performance regulation when their cognitive load was high. After repeated decision-making, we also expected indecisives, but not decisives, to deplete their cognitive resources and fail to engage in subsequent self-control.