In recent years a paradigm shift in decision-making research has occur
red. Modern decision researchers are more interested in studying decis
ion making as it occurs in the so-called real world under naturalistic
conditions. As such, the naturalistic decision-making (NDM) movement
has seen growing support in recent years. Our contention is that in or
der for a new paradigm of NDM to flourish, it is essential to define c
arefully and completely the nature of decisions that are of interest t
o investigate. Once this is done, it is then possible to determine the
psychological processes and strategies that decision makers use to co
pe with this subset of naturalistic decisions and to establish accepta
ble methods of study. Given this need, the purpose of this article is
to examine the concept of NDM as it has been treated in past work and
to refine and expand this conceptualization.