Decision-making is of great importance to each person throughout their whole life. This cognitive-affective process is one that people employ on a daily basis. Nevertheless, the larger body of research on the matter has been focused more on memory performance and risky decision making, rather than the effects of perception on daily decision making.
Perception of high stress levels and the perception of social exclusion (loneliness) have been related to uncertainty, lack of control and unpredictability which are often present in decision-making situations.
However, the effect of perceived stress levels and loneliness has rarely been taken into consideration in regard to decision making.
In this paper, I investigate the direct relationship between the levels of loneliness and decision making styles, as well as the mediated effect of perceived stress on that relationship.
This is done while observing for sociocultural differences or similarities between a Bulgarian and a British sample.
Results show a significant correlation between loneliness and some decision-making styles in both samples as well as a significant mediation of perceived stress.
