JOB COMPLEXITY MANAGEMENT: RATIONAL AND INTUITIVE DECISION-MAKING
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/psyspu/2025.2.26Keywords:
Job complexity, decision-making, rationality, intuition, cognitive style.Abstract
This article investigates the interplay between job task complexity and decision-making styles – specifically rational and intuitive – within professional settings. Drawing on contemporary cognitive frameworks, particularly dual-process theories, the authors analyze how varying levels of task complexity influence individuals' cognitive strategies, whether through deliberate analytical reasoning or rapid intuitive judgments. The findings indicate that increased task complexity heightens the likelihood of employing both decisionmaking styles concurrently, as employees are often required to operate under conditions of uncertainty, time constraints, and information overload. The study highlights how intuition functions in complex environments. Experienced professionals are more inclined to rely on intuitive decisions grounded in pattern recognition and accumulated expertise. In contrast, less experienced individuals, while also leaning toward intuitive approaches, exhibit greater flexibility in toggling between intuitive and rational modes of thinking. The article pays close attention to the impact of key contextual factors such as time pressure, emotional state, environmental ambiguity, task complexity, and individual cognitive preferences. A comprehensive overview of psychometric instruments is provided, including REI, GDMS, CoSI, PMPI, PID, TIntS, and the newly proposed Rational and Intuitive Decision-Making Styles (RIDMS) model. The RIDMS framework distinguishes three types of rational and nine types of intuitive cognitive styles, offering a more nuanced understanding of how decision-making unfolds in real-world, highstakes contexts. Ultimately, the authors argue that effective decision-making in today’s dynamic and complex work environments does not lie in choosing between rationality and intuition, but in developing the capacity to integrate both. This adaptive ability is essential for professional effectiveness, particularly amid rapid change, rising competency demands, and compressed decision timelines. The study offers valuable insights for human resource management, job design, leadership development, and the creation of training programs aimed at enhancing decision-making competencies.
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