Successful everyday decision making: Combining attributes and associates

Abstract How do people make everyday decisions in order to achieve the most successful outcome? Decision making research typically evaluates choices according their expected utility. However, this largely focuses on abstract or hypothetical tasks and rarely investigates whether outcome is satisfying for decision maker. Instead, we use an task which participants describe a personally meaningful they are currently facing. We investigate processes used decision, evaluate how of them. examine well analytic, attribute-based explain predict outcomes, compare these associative elicited through free association. also characteristics individuals that associated with good outcomes. Across three experiments found that: 1) analytic analysis not superior simpler predicting outcomes; 2) contrary linking cognition biases, association generates valid cues choice outcomes as effectively approaches; 3) favouring either processes, combining both associates best explains accurately predicts 4) tendency attempt thinking more decisions. frequency, simplicity, knowledge success. propose combination,