What is a decision-making model?

A decision-making model is a structured approach to making choices, which means it provides a systematic way to evaluate options and outcomes in order to arrive at the best decision possible. These models often involve clearly defined steps—such as identifying the problem, gathering information, generating alternatives, evaluating those alternatives, and finally, making a choice. This structure helps to simplify complex decisions, ensuring that all relevant factors are considered and reducing the likelihood of biases influencing the choice.

The other options, while relevant to aspects of research or statistics, do not encapsulate the essence of what a decision-making model entails. For instance, selecting data collection techniques pertains more to the methodology of gathering information rather than the process of decision-making itself. Guidelines for statistical testing focus solely on analyzing data rather than on how to approach decision-making. Similarly, theories on psychological decision processes abstractly address how people make decisions but do not represent the structured procedural aspect that defines a decision-making model.