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Background <p>Many decisions involve uncertainty. Consequently, intolerance of uncertainty (IU)—a dispositional aversion to uncertainty—may interfere with decision making and cause indecisiveness—a chronic inability to make decisions. Problematic decision-related safety behaviors may play a role in this. However, previous studies have not conclusively established this link. Therefore, this research tests whether IU is associated with a novel measure reflecting safety behavior in decision scenarios, and whether indecisiveness mediates this relationship.</p> Methods <p>Across four studies (total <i>N</i> = 944), participants reported their IU and imagined a decision scenario. They rated the extent to which their response to this decision aligned with features of safety behaviors. Study 1 examined the validity of these safety behavior ratings in differentiating adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. In Studies 2a, 2b, and 3, indecisiveness was also assessed. Additionally, decision importance was experimentally varied to evaluate whether more important decisions would amplify the IU-safety behavior association.</p> Results <p>Study 1 confirmed the validity of the safety behavior measurement, showing that a maladaptive behavior description was rated higher than an adaptive behavior description. Most importantly, across all studies, higher IU predicted higher safety behavior ratings in response to decision scenarios, irrespective of decision importance. Studies 2a–3 additionally showed that this relationship was partially mediated by indecisiveness.</p> Conclusions <p>Our findings add an important insight to the literature, using a criterion-based safety behavior measure to demonstrate its association with IU across decision-making contexts. Although correlational, therefore not suited for causal interpretation, the results align with the conceptualization of IU as a transdiagnostic mental health risk factor, adding to the evidence on its relationship with excessive safety seeking. This aspect has potential implications for understanding and targeting maladaptive decision-making processes.</p>

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Making it Worse by Trying to Make it Better: Intolerance of Uncertainty is Associated with Maladaptive Safety Behavior in Decision Making

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月6日

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  • Helmut Appel,
  • Alexander L. Gerlach

摘要

Background

Many decisions involve uncertainty. Consequently, intolerance of uncertainty (IU)—a dispositional aversion to uncertainty—may interfere with decision making and cause indecisiveness—a chronic inability to make decisions. Problematic decision-related safety behaviors may play a role in this. However, previous studies have not conclusively established this link. Therefore, this research tests whether IU is associated with a novel measure reflecting safety behavior in decision scenarios, and whether indecisiveness mediates this relationship.

Methods

Across four studies (total N = 944), participants reported their IU and imagined a decision scenario. They rated the extent to which their response to this decision aligned with features of safety behaviors. Study 1 examined the validity of these safety behavior ratings in differentiating adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. In Studies 2a, 2b, and 3, indecisiveness was also assessed. Additionally, decision importance was experimentally varied to evaluate whether more important decisions would amplify the IU-safety behavior association.

Results

Study 1 confirmed the validity of the safety behavior measurement, showing that a maladaptive behavior description was rated higher than an adaptive behavior description. Most importantly, across all studies, higher IU predicted higher safety behavior ratings in response to decision scenarios, irrespective of decision importance. Studies 2a–3 additionally showed that this relationship was partially mediated by indecisiveness.

Conclusions

Our findings add an important insight to the literature, using a criterion-based safety behavior measure to demonstrate its association with IU across decision-making contexts. Although correlational, therefore not suited for causal interpretation, the results align with the conceptualization of IU as a transdiagnostic mental health risk factor, adding to the evidence on its relationship with excessive safety seeking. This aspect has potential implications for understanding and targeting maladaptive decision-making processes.