The Utility of Clinical Psychology Concepts for Judgment and Decision-Making Research: The Case of Histrionic Features

• Published in: Personality & social psychology bulletin 2022-01, Vol.48 (1), p.65-77
• Main Authors: Posavac, Steven S., Kardes, Frank R., Posavac, Heidi D., Gaffney, Donald R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attention; Choices; Clinical psychology; Court decisions; Decision Making; Health services; Histrionic personality disorder; Humans; Judgment; Mental health; Mental health services; Money; Personality disorders; Preferences; Psychology, Clinical
• ISSN: 0146-1672; 1552-7433
• DOI: 10.1177/0146167220980887

This research was conducted to highlight the utility of considering clinical psychology concepts in judgment and decision research. Our overarching thesis is that the judgments and choices people make may often be influenced by clinically relevant phenomena, and that understanding these relationships can, in a reciprocal fashion, help advance our understanding of judgment and decision making as well as specific clinical diagnoses and proclivities. We focused on histrionic personality disorder and conducted four studies that show that histrionic symptomology predicts preferences and choices that facilitate grabbing others’ attention, even when such choices cost more money, and are at the expense of giving up more tangible features. In addition to demonstrating a new implication of the histrionic personality, we provide insight into the process underlying this tendency and discuss implications for mental health service providers.