Dual-process decision-making in banking: Integrating the cognitive-experiential self-theory and theory of planned behavior

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstract This study examines the influence of cognitive styles (rationality and intuition) on decision-making behavior among senior banking executives, utilizing an integrated Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory (CEST) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Survey data from N = 220 middle/senior banking professionals (81 men, 139 women) in Tunisia were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) in AMOS. First-order confirmatory factor analysis confirmed robust construct validity and reliable fit. To rigorously evaluate structural dynamics across genders, a unified multi-group analysis was conducted using the identical structural model (estimating both Rationality and Intuition simultaneously across both groups). Bootstrapping analyses (5,000 resamples) revealed that both cognitive styles exert direct, residual effects on decision implementation speed, rejecting total mediation by behavioral intention. In the integrated model, rationality acts as a behavioral accelerator (β = 0.747, p < 0.001), whereas intuition functions as a risk-mitigating mechanism (β = –0.571, p = 0.003). Structural comparison demonstrates that male and female executives possess overlapping cognitive capacities to translate intentions into fast execution (β = 0.564 vs. β = 0.535, p < 0.001). These empirical findings show that operational execution in financial contexts relies on a dual-process balance between rational analysis and intuitive risk filtering rather than deterministic gender deficits.