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Cited by 58Cognitive Abilities and TestingDecision-Making and Behavioral EconomicsNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Decision‐making competence and cognitive abilities: Which abilities matter?

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Skagerlund, Kenny, Forsblad, Mattias, Tinghög, Gustav, Västfjäll, Daniel·2022·Journal of Behavioral Decision Making
DOI 10.1002/bdm.2242
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Abstract

Decision‐making competence is a skill that is associated with numerous positive life outcomes. Even though multiple cognitive abilities have been shown to predict decision‐making competence, few studies have incorporated a large test battery tapping into several cognitive abilities concurrently in the same models. The current paper presents a study that sought to investigate which cognitive abilities predicted overall decision‐making competence in adults using hierarchical regression analysis. A cognitive test battery, comprising abilities such as general intelligence, executive functions, numeracy, visuospatial ability, and time perception, was administered to 182 participants. Results indicate that both general intelligence, which was consistently the strongest predictor, and numeracy contributed independently to overall decision‐making competence. Executive functions did predict overall decision‐making competence, while all predictors were included in the models. A novel finding concerns the relationship between time perception and decision‐making competence. The complementary roles of these cognitive abilities are discussed.

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  • When the consequences of each alternative are known in advance or can be memorized, a person's ability to make a rational decision taking into account benefits and costs of each option depends more on intelligence and less on executive control functions.

    “Когда последствия выбора каждой альтернативы заранее известны или поддаются запоминанию, способность человека к принятию рационального решения с учетом выгод и издержек каждой опции зависит в большей степени от уровня интеллекта и в меньшей степени -от функций исполнительного контроля (Skagerlund et al., 2022), а также компенсирующих их факторов: опыта, образования, мотивации и навыков эмоциональ”

    From Когнитивные механизмы дисфункционального принятия решений при психических расстройствах (2025) · cites this paper as Skagerlund et al., 2022

    The Discussion (section 4; page unavailable) reports that general intelligence was the strongest predictor of overall decision-making competence, while executive-function measures made no significant contribution in the final model. The paper does not establish that this comparison specifically holds when the consequences of each option are known or can be memorized, or for decisions that explicitly weigh each option’s benefits and costs. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Skagerlund, K., Forsblad, M., Tinghög, G., & Västfjäll, D.
Affiliations
Linköping University (SE)
Corresponding author
Skagerlund, Kenny
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Behavioral Decision Making
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2021-03-02
Volume
35
Issue
1
ISSN
  • 0894-3257 (ISSN-L)
  • 1099-0771
DOI
10.1002/bdm.2242
OpenAlex
W3133535772
Cited by
58
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4
FWCI
8.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Behavioral Decision Making (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation (2014‐0173)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
decision-making capacity, cognitive ability, general intelligence, executive function, numeracy, visuospatial ability, time perception, cognitive test battery, adults

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