What Factors are Associated with Age Differences In Intentional Decision Avoidance?

Abstract

To examine why older adults avoid choices more, two pre-registered, U.S.-based studies (N₁ = 164, M_{age_1} = 50.71, N₂ = 485, M_{age_2} = 51.08) evaluated the roles of cognitive load and affect. In Study 2, half were randomized to a writing condition theorized to decrease avoidance. Across studies, older age was positively associated with avoiding choices and improved affect after doing so. Avoidance was linked to perceiving higher cognitive loads but neither load nor other covariates accounted for older adults' avoidance tendencies. The writing condition resulted in lower cognitive loads and more positive decision-related affect but did not decrease avoidance.