Haste makes waste, but not for all: The speed-accuracy trade-off does not apply to neurotics

• We investigate whether Neuroticism alters the relationship between speed and accuracy during decision making.
• We use a cricket-based decision making task.
• Neuroticism moderated the relationship between decision-making time and decision-making accuracy.
• Faster response times were associated with greater accuracy for neurotics and reduced accuracy for low neurotics.

ObjectivesTo examine if neurotics are the exception to the speed-accuracy rule and in fact are more accurate when making faster decisions.DesignThe study employed a laboratory-based, cross-sectional design.MethodOne hundred and ninety-six elite young cricketers completed measures of neuroticism before performing a cricket-specific computer-based decision-making task.ResultsNeuroticism significantly moderated the relationship between decision-making time and decision-making accuracy such that decreases in response time were associated with improvements in decision-making accuracy for individuals with high levels of neuroticism. Conversely, decreases in response time were associated with decrements in accuracy for individuals with low levels of neuroticism.ConclusionsThe study presents the first data that confirm that speed accuracy trade-offs do not occur across all individuals; individuals with high levels of neuroticism benefit from making faster decisions.