The state of being unable to make up your mind or choose between two or more options.
From Latin 'in-' (not) and 'decisio,' from 'decidere' (to decide). The prefix 'in-' negates the root, literally meaning 'not deciding.' The word entered English in the 1700s to describe the paralysis of choice.
Interestingly, psychologists found that too many choices actually makes indecision worse—when a store has 100 cereal types instead of 10, people feel more stuck because their brains can't process that many options!
Indecisiveness has been stereotypically attributed to women, particularly in leadership contexts, despite research showing no gender difference in decision-making quality. Historical narratives used this to justify excluding women from authority.
When discussing decision-making, focus on specific factors (incomplete information, competing priorities) rather than attributing hesitation to gender-based character traits.
["needs more information","weighing options","deliberation"]
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