Which statement best describes the relationship between stress and decision-making?

• A. Stress can impair judgment and hinder decision-making.
• B. Stress always improves decision accuracy.
• C. Stress has no impact on decision-making.
• D. Stress only affects physical performance, not cognitive.

Answer: (A)

Stress can tax attention and working memory, so the mental processes needed for good decision-making become less efficient when aroused. In aviation, where decisions rely on integrating multiple cues under time pressure, elevated stress narrows focus, can bias risk assessment, and increases the likelihood of hasty or faulty judgments. This is why the statement that stress can impair judgment and hinder decision-making is the best fit: it reflects the common, real-world effect of stress on complex cognitive tasks. The idea that stress always improves decision accuracy is not supported, stress has no impact, or it only affects physical performance while sparing cognition, are all inconsistent with how arousal and cognitive load interact in decision-making.