Test-Retest Reliability of Common Behavioral Decision-Making Tasks: A Multi-Sample, Repeated Measures Study

Abstract

Objective: Decision-making is responsible for the best and worst of human nature. The field of decision science has done much to elucidate the psychological process of decision-making, variables that affect decision-making, and outcomes of disadvantageous decision-making. However, understanding any psychological process requires creation of reliable measures. Few studies focus on the test-retest reliability of behavioral decision-making tasks despite their utility in repeated assessment batteries.

Method: The present study examined the extent to which common behavioral decision-making tasks are reliable across time. Across two samples and two time points, participants completed multiple decision-making assessments.

Results: Results revealed moderate at best evidence of test-retest reliability across a 10-week interval in any of the tasks assessed.

Conclusions: These findings raise large questions for the field of behavioral decision-making and the utility for tasks to track changes in decision-making across time in clinical populations.

Keywords: Decision-making; Executive function; Repeated measures; Test reliability; Test–retest reliability.