Decision-Making Styles (GDMS)
General Decision Making Style (GDMS), developed by Scott and Bruce, is a psychometric framework that measures individual differences in how people perceive, evaluate, and act upon information when making decisions across five distinct styles: Rational, Intuitive, Dependent, Avoidant, and Spontaneous.
Plain-Language Summary
Your decision-making style reflects how you process information, weigh alternatives, handle uncertainty, and choose actions when faced with choices.
# Everyday Behavioral Examples
High Expression Tendencies
- •Rational Style: Systematically collects comprehensive data, lists pros and cons, and objectively compares alternatives.
- •Intuitive Style: Relies on gut feelings, pattern recognition, and holistic impressions to make rapid judgments.
- •Dependent Style: Seeks guidance, validation, and consensus from trusted mentors or team members before finalizing choices.
Low Expression Tendencies
- •Avoidant Style: Postpones decision-making under uncertainty until external events force a conclusion.
Related Sub-Traits & Core Facets
In psychometric factor modeling, this construct encompasses or correlates with these key behavioral dimensions:
How the Concept is Measured
Evaluated using the GDMS questionnaire measuring agreement with decision behavior statements across the 5 independent subscales.
Common Misconceptions
Intuitive decision makers are reckless and never use logic.
Expert intuition is sophisticated unconscious pattern-recognition developed from years of domain experience and subconscious feedback.
Scientific Limitations & Context
Decision styles vary significantly between high-stakes personal choices (finance, health) and routine operational tasks.
Assessments That Measure This Trait
Free & Calculated On-DeviceRelated Glossary Terms
Relevant Guides & Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can a person possess multiple decision-making styles?
- Yes. The styles are independent dimensions rather than mutually exclusive types. Many effective leaders combine high Rational and high Intuitive capabilities.