Dispositional anxiety and risk-avoidant decision-making

Jon K. Maner*, J. Anthony Richey, Kiara Cromer, Mike Mallott, Carl W. Lejuez, Thomas E. Joiner, Norman B. Schmidt

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

257 Scopus citations

Abstract

Three studies investigated the link between dispositional anxiety and the tendency to engage in risk-avoidant decision-making. Findings suggest that dispositional anxiety is associated with a pronounced bias toward making risk-avoidant choices. Individual differences in trait anxiety, worry, and social anxiety were each associated with risk-avoidance on a behavioral risk-taking task (Studies 1 and 2). Compared with other clinical patients (e.g., mood disorders) and non-clinical controls, anxiety disordered patients exhibited substantially greater risk-aversion (Study 3). Findings suggest that the relationship with risk-avoidance is specific to anxiety, and is not merely concomitant to the experience of negative affect. This research has implications for understanding the links between individual differences in affective processing and basic decision-making processes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)665-675
Number of pages11
JournalPersonality and Individual Differences
Volume42
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2007

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Decision-making
  • Emotion
  • Risk-taking
  • Social anxiety

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychology(all)

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