Obsessive-compulsive tendencies are related to indecisiveness and reliance on feedback in a neutral color judgment task

Background and objectives: The present study was designed to test whether OC tendencies are associated with indecisiveness and increased need for objective feedback in vague decision situations. This hypothesis was tested using a neutral color judgment task that places minimal demands on working memory. Methods: Sixty-one participants completed several measures of OC symptoms and tendencies. Indecisiveness was tested on a novel computerized task in which participants can move along a continuum marked by two colors at the extreme ends and are instructed to choose the color they judge to be the exact mid-point on the continuum. Results: OC scores were positively correlated with indecisiveness on the task, as assessed by the amount of time it took participants to complete the task and the extent of their search through the color continuum. This association was most pronounced when feedback for performance was not routinely provided. Requests for feedback were also positively correlated with OC scores. OC scores were not associated with actual performance on the task (accuracy levels) or with confidence ratings. Limitations: The study relies on non-clinical participants and the extent to which these results would extend to OCD patients in unknown. Some effects may be confounded by the fixed order in which the task phases were administered. Conclusions: The findings support the hypothesis that OC tendencies are associated with general indecisiveness and reliance on external feedback.