The role of intolerance of uncertainty when solving the exploration-exploitation dilemma
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: When making behavioral decisions, individuals need to balance between exploiting known options or exploring new ones. How individuals solve this exploration-exploitation dilemma (EED) is a key research question across psychology, leading to attempting to disentangle the cognitive mechanisms behind it. A potential predictive factor of performance in an EED is intolerance of uncertainty (IU), an individual difference factor referring to the extent to which uncertain situations are reported to be aversive. Here, we present the results of a series of exploratory analyses in which we tested the relationship between IU and performance in an EED task. For this, we compiled data from 3 experiments, in which participants received the opportunity to exploit different movements in order to avoid a painful stimulus and approach rewards. For decomposing performance in this task, we used different computational models previously employed in studies on the EED. Then, the parameters of the winning model were correlated with the scores of participants in the IU scale. Correlational and cluster analyses, within both frequentists and Bayesian frameworks, did not provide strong evidence for a relation between EED and IU, apart from the decay rate and the subscale "tendency to become paralyzed in the face of uncertainty". Given the theoretical relation between EED and IU, we propose research with different experimental paradigms.
Institutions: Utrecht University, KU Leuven, Ghent University, Maastricht University
Language: English
Subfield: General Decision Sciences
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,950
Awards: Asthenes: From acute aversive sensations to chronic bodily symptoms., Fear generalization in patients with Panic Disorder: A 5 clinic direct replication of Lissek et al. (2010)., G2848546046, Pain no more: towards a better understanding and management of chronic pain, Should I stay or should I go? The exploration-exploitation dilemma when in pain, G4929749279, G585828275, G5960579236
OpenAlex ID: W4292621976