ABSTRACT
It is difficult enough to make decisions in operational settings where the stakes are high and data are ambiguous, but another problem can enter in—stress. Whether the stressors are time constraints, noise, workload, or threat, they can play havoc with the clear thinking needed in these settings. They can degrade the quality of judgments, prevent the use of rational decision strategies, and severely compromise performance; at least, that is a popular appraisal of stressors. The thesis of this chapter is that each of these assertions is either incorrect or misleading. Decision makers are adaptive in their reactions to stressors. The decision strategies used in the presence of stressors may be simpler, but they are rational and make powerful use of experience. Moreover, stressors do not necessarily degrade decision quality, and in some cases can improve it.
