Chapter 4

Results and Discussion

This chapter covers data analysis and offers crucial insights into the outcomes.

Addressing the research questions of the study requires interpreting the data that has

been gathered. The conclusions and revelations made have important ramifications for

how in-depth this study will be.

The information is shown in tables that correspond to the particular research

subject concerning the complex psychological processes that underlie the decision-

making styles of Pasig Catholic College fourth-year students and offer a detailed

insights into how people approach and manage decision-making processes at this point

in their academic career by concentrating on this particular population.

Table 2

Level of the Students' Self - Esteem

INDICATORS WEIGHTED MEAN VERBAL

INTERPRETATION
1. I make sure that I have 3.20 AGREE
all the facts before I make
a decision.
2. When I make a decision, 3.35 STRONGLY AGREE
I do what feels right.
3. I often ask other people 3.01 AGREE
to help me make important
decisions.
4. I don't like making 2.24 DISAGREE
decisions, so I try to avoid
it.
5. I make decisions 2.88 AGREE
quickly.
6. I make decisions in a 2.69 AGREE
slow, logical way.
7. When I make a decision, 2.98 AGREE
I rely on my instincts.
8. I don't make big 2.74 AGREE
decisions without talking to
other people first.
9. I usually won't make an 3.14 AGREE
important decision until I'm
forced to do so.
10. I don't think too much 2.74 AGREE
about the decisions that I
make.
11. Making decisions 3.30 STRONGLY AGREE
requires careful thought.
12. A decision doesn't 2.23 DISAGREE
need to make sense - it
just needs to feel right.
13. When I need to make 2.84 AGREE
an important decision, I
like to have someone point
me in the right direction.
14. I try to put off making 2.48 DISAGREE
important decisions, I just
do what seems natural at
the moment.
15. I consider all of my 3.12 AGREE
options before making a
decision.
16. I rely on my inner 2.99 AGREE
feelings when making
decisions.
17. When I make a 2.94 AGREE
decision, I rely on other
people's advice.
18. I usually make 2.95 AGREE
important decisions at the
last minute.
19. I often make impulsive 2.41 DISAGREE
decisions.
20. I often ask other 2.72 AGREE
people to help me make
important decisions.
OVER - ALL WEIGHTED 2.85 AGREE
MEAN
 Table 2 presents an analysis of students' self-esteem through their decision-

making processes. Students generally agree that they make sure they have all the facts

before making decisions (Mean: 3.20). They also agree that making decisions requires

careful thought (Mean: 3.30) and consider all their options before deciding (Mean: 3.12).

However, they make decisions in a slow, logical way less frequently (Mean: 2.69),

suggesting a preference for other factors in decision-making. Students strongly agree

that they do what feels right when making a decision (Mean: 3.35). They also agree that

they rely on their instincts (Mean: 2.98) and inner feelings (Mean: 2.99) when making

decisions. Conversely, they disagree with the statement that a decision doesn't need to

make sense and just needs to feel right (Mean: 2.23), indicating a balance between

logic and intuition. Students agree that they often ask others for help in making

important decisions (Mean: 3.01 and 2.72). They agree on the importance of consulting

others before making big decisions (Mean: 2.74) and relying on other people's advice

(Mean: 2.94). They prefer having someone point them in the right direction when

needed (Mean: 2.84). Students disagree with the statement that they don't like making

decisions and try to avoid it (Mean: 2.24). They tend to avoid impulsive decisions

(Mean: 2.41) and don't often put off important decisions to do what seems natural at the

moment (Mean: 2.48).

However, they agree they make decisions at the last minute (Mean: 2.95) and wait until

forced to make an important decision (Mean: 3.14), showing some hesitance. Students

agree that they make decisions quickly (Mean: 2.88) but do not strongly emphasize

making decisions impulsively (Mean: 2.41).

 The overall weighted mean of 2.85, interpreted as "agree," suggests that

students generally have a balanced approach to decision-making. They incorporate

facts, logic, instincts, and feelings in their process. They also value the advice and help

of others, indicating a collaborative approach. There is a tendency towards hesitance

and last-minute decisions, highlighting areas for potential improvement in decision-

making confidence and timeliness. The students' self-esteem, as reflected through

their decision-making processes, shows a need for enhancing confidence and

independence in decision-making. Encouraging more proactive decision-making

strategies and reducing reliance on external validation could further strengthen their

self-esteem.

This supports the findings of Arshad, Zaidi and Mahmood (2015), where it was

found out that academic achievement and self-esteem were found to have a strong

association. Additionally, a significant difference in academic performance and self-

esteem scores was discovered between male and female students, showing that male

students scored higher on self-esteem than female students and female students

scored higher on academic performance.

 Table 3

Degree of the Decision-Making Style of Students

INDICATORS WEIGHTED MEAN VERBAL

INTERPRETATION
1. I feel that I'm a person 2.27 DISAGREE
of worth. I am as good as
anybody else.
2. I feel that there are a lot 2.63 AGREE
of good things about me.
3. I feel that I fail a lot. 2.84 AGREE
4. I can do things as well 3.05 AGREE
as most other people.
5. I do not have much to 2.84 AGREE
be proud of.
6. I feel I do not have much 2.34 DISAGREE
to be proud of.
7. I wish I had more 2.24 DISAGREE
respect for myself.
8. I feel useless at times. 2.52 AGREE
9. Sometimes I think I am 2.54 AGREE
no good at all.
10. I like myself. 2.62 AGREE
11. I am happy with myself. 3.01 AGREE
OVER - ALL WEIGHTED 2.63 AGREE
MEAN

Table 3 shows the data examined the students' decision-making style and their

self-perception through various statements. In terms of self-worth and confidence,

students disagree with feeling that they are persons of worth and as good as anybody

else (Mean: 2.27). They also disagree with having much to be proud of (Mean: 2.34).
They wish they had more respect for themselves (Mean: 2.24). Students agree that

there are a lot of good things about them (Mean: 2.63). They feel they can do things as

well as most other people (Mean: 3.05). They agree that they like themselves (Mean:

2.62) and are happy with themselves (Mean: 3.01). In terms of perception of failure and

uselessness, students feel that they fail a lot (Mean: 2.84). They feel useless at times

(Mean: 2.52). Sometimes they think they are no good at all (Mean: 2.54). In terms of

mixed perceptions, students have mixed feelings about pride, agreeing that they do not

have much to be proud of (Mean: 2.84), yet disagreeing with not having much to be

proud of (Mean: 2.34).

The overall weighted mean of 2.63, interpreted as "agree," suggests that

students generally have a positive self-perception but face significant self-doubt and

feelings of inadequacy. While the students acknowledge their capabilities and have a

level of self-acceptance, there is a prevalent sense of failure and uselessness that

needs to be addressed.

This confirms to the study of Rubinton (1980), where the findings show that both

interventions increased the dependent measures, and that decision-making style related

to vocational maturity and certainty of vocational choice. When given a rational

intervention, rational decision makers performed best; conversely, when given an

intuitive intervention, intuitive decision makers performed best. As a result, both

approaches are regarded as successful, dependent decision makers showed declines

on both dependent measures across all groups, indicating an unsuccessful style.

 Table 4

Simple Regression Analysis on Level of Academic Anxiety and Level of Self-

esteem

Unstandardized Standardi
Model Coefficients zed t Sigma
Coefficient
s
B Std. Beta
Error
(Constant) 2.491 .209 11.924 .000
Self .049 .072 .071 .675 .501
Esteem
R square = 0.005
F = 0.456
df1= 1
df2 = 91
p-value = 0.501

A simple regression was calculated to determine whether the Decision-Making

Style was affected by the Level of Self Esteem of Fourth year College students at Pasig

Catholic College.

The data presented in Table 4 shows the value of R squared (R2=0.005) which

denotes that 0.5% of increase in the degree of decision-Making style is attributed to the

level of Self-esteem. The p-value = 0.501 generated from the ANOVA table explains that
there is enough evidence to show that the Self-esteem has no significant effect on the

Decision-Making style of fourth year students at Pasig Catholic College.

This result confirms to the study of Arslan and Yilmaz (2015), where to ascertain

shyness, decision-making methods, and self-esteem at the time of making decisions,

regression analysis was employed. After taking into account the research findings, it

was determined that there was a negative relationship between self-esteem and

decision-making and vigilance; in other words, shyness increased self-esteem while

vigilance decision-making decreased. It has been shown that there is a strong

relationship between hypervigilance decision-making and self-esteem while making

decisions. However, no significant relationship was identified between procrastination

tactics and decision-making.

 Chapter 5

Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

This chapter presents the summary of the findings of the study, the conclusions

drawn from the findings and the recommendations of the concluded study.

Summary of Findings

This quantitative study investigates the complex psychological processes that

underlie the decision-making styles of Pasig Catholic College fourth-year students.

Based on the data gathered, analyzed and interpret the following are the salient findings

of the study:

Students generally agree that they ensure they have all the facts before making

decisions. They believe that making decisions requires careful thought and consider all

options before deciding. Students strongly agree with making decisions based on what

feels right. They agree that they rely on their instincts and inner feelings when making

decisions. However, they disagree that a decision doesn't need to make sense and only
needs to feel right, suggesting a balance between logic and intuition. Students often ask

others for help with important decisions. They agree on the importance of consulting

others before making big decisions and rely on other people's advice. They prefer

having someone point them in the right direction when needed. Students disagree with

avoiding decision-making and impulsive decisions. They also disagree with putting off

important decisions to do what seems natural at the moment. However, they agree they

make decisions at the last minute and wait until forced to make an important decision,

showing some hesitance. They agree that they make decisions quickly but do not

emphasize making impulsive decisions.

In self-worth and confidence, the overall weighted mean of, interpreted as

"agree," indicates that students have a balanced approach to decision-making,

incorporating facts, logic, instincts, and feelings. They value advice and collaboration,

suggesting a tendency towards hesitance and last-minute decisions. Students disagree

with feeling that they are persons of worth and as good as anybody else. They also

disagree with having much to be proud of and wish they had more respect for

themselves. Students agree that there are a lot of good things about them, they can do

things as well as most other people, like themselves, and are happy with themselves.

A simple regression analysis was conducted to determine if the decision-making

style is affected by the level of self-esteem. The value of R squared (R² = 0.005)

denotes that only 0.5% of the variance in decision-making style can be attributed to self-

esteem. The p-value = 0.501 indicates there is no significant effect of self-esteem on

decision-making style.
Conclusions

Students generally agree that they ensure they have all the facts before making

decisions. They believe that careful thought and consideration of all options are

essential before making a decision. Students strongly agree with making decisions

based on what feels right and often rely on their instincts and inner feelings. However,

they balance this intuition with logic, as they disagree with the notion that a decision

only needs to feel right without making sense. Students frequently seek help from

others when making important decisions. They value consulting others and rely on

advice, preferring guidance to make informed choices. Students disagree with avoiding

decision-making and impulsive decisions. Despite this, they agree that they often make

decisions at the last minute and wait until forced to decide, indicating some hesitance.

They agree that they make decisions quickly but do not emphasize making impulsive

decisions. Students disagree with feeling that they are persons of worth and as good as

anybody else. They also disagree with having much to be proud of and wish they had

more respect for themselves. Students agree that there are many good things about

them, they can do things as well as most others, like themselves, and are generally

happy with themselves. The simple regression analysis reveals that self-esteem has a

negligible impact on decision-making style, with an R² value of 0.005, indicating that

only 0.5% of the variance in decision-making style can be attributed to self-esteem. The

p-value of 0.501 suggests that there is no significant effect of self-esteem on decision-

making style.

Students exhibit a balanced approach to decision-making, integrating facts, logic,

instincts, and feelings. They value collaboration and advice but show a tendency
towards hesitance and last-minute decisions. While students have a generally positive

self-perception, they also experience significant self-doubt and a lack of self-worth.

Enhancing their confidence and independence in decision-making could strengthen

their overall self-esteem. The study indicates that self-esteem does not significantly

affect decision-making style. Other factors might play a more crucial role in shaping

their decision-making processes.

Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusions drawn from the study, the following are

the recommendations:

For Students, practice proactive decision-making by setting deadlines and

following through. Reflect on past decisions to learn from successes and mistakes.

Engage in positive self-talk and affirmations to combat self-doubt. Set and achieve small

goals to build a sense of accomplishment. Participate in activities that highlight

strengths and skills. Continue using both logical analysis and intuition in decision-

making.

For Guidance Counselors, provide workshops on decision-making strategies

and tools. Offer personalized counseling sessions to address hesitance and build

confidence. Conduct self-esteem building activities and group sessions. Create an

environment where students can discuss their insecurities and work through them.

Teach students to balance logic with intuition in their decisions. Develop programs that

help students understand the importance of both aspects.

 For Parents, encourage children to make their own decisions and learn from the

outcomes. Support them in their choices without taking over the decision-making

process. Praise efforts and achievements to build self-esteem. Help children set realistic

goals and celebrate when they achieve them. Offer advice when asked but encourage

children to think critically and independently. Share your own decision-making

experiences to provide perspective.

For Teachers, integrate decision-making exercises and scenarios into the

curriculum. Encourage group discussions and debates to practice these skills.

Recognize and celebrate student achievements in the classroom. Provide constructive

feedback that focuses on improvement and effort. Guide students through the decision-

making process without making decisions for them. Encourage them to explore different

options and consider the consequences.

For Future researchers, investigate additional factors that may impact decision-

making styles, such as personality traits, stress levels, and social influences. Conduct

longitudinal studies to assess how decision-making styles evolve over time. Design and

evaluate interventions aimed at improving decision-making skills and self-esteem.

Examine the long-term effects of these interventions on students' academic and

personal lives. Include diverse student populations to understand how decision-making

and self-esteem vary across different demographics. Compare findings across different

educational institutions to identify broader trends and insights.

References:

Arshad, M., Zaidi, S. M. I. H., & Mahmood, K. (2015). Self-esteem & academic

performance among university students. Journal of education and practice, 6(1),

156-162.

Rubinton, N. (1980). Instruction in career decision making and decision-making styles.

Journal of Counseling psychology, 27(6), 581.

Arslan, C., & Yılmaz, A. (2015). Analyzing Decision Making Styles and Self-esteem at

Decision Making of University Students Regarding to Shyness and Self-esteem

Level. British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 8(4), 227-

234.