We make many decisions,
and sometimes we are more or less logical about them. And it is
arguable that all decision are, ultimately emotional.
Logical vs.
emotional decision-making
Decision-making
is a cognitive process where the outcome is a choice between alternatives.
We often have different preferences as to our preferred, approach, varying between thinking
and feeling.
Logical decision-making
When we use logic
to make decisions, we seek to exclude emotions, using only rational
methods, and perhaps even mathematical tools. The foundation of such decisions is the
principle of utility, whereby the value of each option is assessed by assigning criteria (often
weighted).
Emotional decision-making
There is a whole
range of decision-making that uses emotion, depending on the degree of logic
that is included in the process.
A totally emotional
decision is typically very fast. This is because it takes time (at least 0.1
seconds) for the rational cortex to get going. This is the reactive (and largely subconscious)
decision-making that you encounter in heated arguments or when faced with immediate danger.
Common emotional
decisions may use some logic, but the main driving force is emotion, which
either overrides logic or uses a pseudo-logic to support emotional choices (this is extremely
common).
Another common
use of emotion in decision is to start with logic and then use emotion in the
final choice.
Damasio's research
Neuroscientist
Antonio Damasio studied people who had received brain injuries that had had
one specific effect: to damage that part of the brain where emotions are generated. In all other
respects they seemed normal - they just lost the ability to feel emotions.
The interesting
thing he found was that their ability to make decisions was seriously impaired.
They could logically describe what they should be doing, in practice they found it very difficult
to make decisions about where to live, what to eat, etc.
In particular,
many decisions have pros and cons on both sides. Shall I have the fish or the
beef? With no rational way to decide, they were unable to make the decision.
The point of
decision
Always emotional
decision?
So at the point
of decision, emotions are very important for choosing. In fact even with what
we believe are logical decisions, the very point of choice is arguably always based on emotion.
We talk about decisions
that feel or seem right. When logical decisions are wrong, we will often
feel that this is so. Emotions are perhaps signals from the subconscious that tell us a lot about
what we really choose.
Subconscious
in charge?
An even stranger
factor is research where the subject's brain was wired up to recorders and
the subject was asked to simply press a red button at any time. The notion was that if the
conscious mind was in charge, then that part of the brain would be seen to change first, an if the
decision started in the subconscious, then electrical activity in that part of the brain would work
first.
And the answer
was...that the subconscious started activity first. The shocking conclusion is
that the subconscious is in charge of the bus, and that we are living an illusion of conscious
choice. As emotions also stem from the subconscious, then this makes it even more likely that
decisions have a strong emotional influence.
So what?
If you want someone
else to make a decision, first find how emotional or logical they prefer to
be in that process, and follow their their normal preferences.
Husband their emotions,
guiding them to a point where, at the moment of decision they will be
more favorably disposed towards your ideas.
Make emotionally
tinged appeals in closing with them.
