title: Compromised decision making and the effects of manipulating physical states on human judgments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nonmorally based decision making between two equitable objects often involves degrading the unchosen object and promoting the chosen object ("postdecisional dissonance"). One can extinguish these thought processes with the physical act of hand-washing ("clean slate" effects; [Lee & Schwarz (2010). Washing away postdecisional dissonance. Science, 328, 709.]). However, clean slate effects might not characterize all nonmorally based decision making, particularly for people who mentally "get stuck" making decisions (i.e., compromised decision making).
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered a clean slate task to 48 undergraduates (64.6% females; mean = 21.34 years, standard deviation = 4.06 years; 75% Caucasian), and identified individuals reporting relatively high-compromised versus low-compromised decision making (e.g., self-reported repetitive thought processes and generalized anxiety symptoms).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only individuals reporting relatively high-compromised decision making continued to express postdecisional dissonance even after hand-washing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Behavioral markers of clean slate effects might result in identifying phenotypes associated with psychological concerns typified by compromised decision making.
authors: University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA. adlr@umd.edu
authors: Andres
authors: A
authors: De Los Reyes
authors: Amelia
authors: A
authors: Aldao
authors: Shannon M A
authors: SM
authors: Kundey
authors: Bern G
authors: BG
authors: Lee
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Molina
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult