Perceived Risk, Cognitive Centralization, and Authority Dependence

Description This dataset contains surveys in three phases examining theory-informed questions about perceptions of whether perceived uncertainty and factors of centered around the degree and timing of one’s decision-making risk are associated with increased reliance within centralized authority structures and affective trust in institutional actors. In all surveys, the audience through online forums were people familiar with systems thinking, identifying psychological and social dynamics of issues in systems. The first survey (Phase/theme 1) identifies perceived psychological and structural dynamics within centralized systems.The second survey (Phase/theme 2) tests a preliminary hypothesis that increased perceived uncertainty correlates with greater endorsement of authority dependence.The third survey (Phase 3) incorporates higher-order reasoning prompts to examine how individuals conceptualize decentralization, systemic failure, and governance trade-offs. Objective The purpose of this dataset is to identify preliminary patterns in reasoning about uncertainty, authority, and complex systems rather than to produce definitive conclusions. . Methods Three separate survey phases were distributed via online discussion forums. Participants included individuals with self-reported interest or familiarity in policy, governance, or economic systems and with knowledge of first principles thinking (fpt). This is an international sample from anonymized surveys conducted in February of 2026. Data converted made into charts from Google Sheets. Limitations The sample is not demographically balanced and may not be representative of the target population. Variation in participant familiarity with systems-thinking frameworks may influence response patterns and limit comparability across participants. Tools: Parameters for Questions: Phase 1: Baseline Cognition Analytical Reasoning Style P1-Q1: Problem decomposition P1-Q2: Multi-factor consideration P1-Q5: Preference for simplification (reverse-coded) Systems Thinking Orientation P1-Q4: Feedback loops P3-Q6: Interconnected risks P3-Q3: Compounding effects Perceived Cognitive Competence P1-Q6: Confidence in reasoning P2-Q5: Awareness of limitations under stress P2-Q7: Relevance discrimination Uncertainty Orientation P1-Q7: Information gathering vs intuition P3-Q7: Caution under uncertainty P2-Q3: Quick judgments under pressure (reverse-coded) Perceived Control P1-Q8: Influence over outcomes P2-Q1: Reactive decisions (reverse-coded) P3-Q4: Misjudgment of future preferences (reverse-coded) Phase 2: Cognitive Strain and Distortion Reactive Decision-Making P2-Q1 P2-Q3 P2-Q4 Rationalization Bias P2-Q2 P2-Q4 P3-Q5 Risk Recognition Ability P2-Q6 P2-Q7 P3-Q1 System Fragility Awareness P2-Q9 P3-Q2 P3-Q3 Phase 3: Authority and Risk Response Institutional Grounding P3-Q8 P1-Q3 P2-Q8 Authority Reliance (Behavioral)Core items: P2-Q8 P3-Q9 Optional cross-loading item: P2-Q3 Long-Term Risk Reasoning P3-Q1 P3-Q2 P3-Q4 Future Additional Construct: Cognitive–Affective Tension P3-Q5 P2-Q4 P1-Q7 Reverse Coding: The following items should be reverse-coded prior to analysis: P1-Q5 P2-Q3 P2-Q1 (if used in non-reactivity constructs) P3-Q4