What did you do when you What did you do when you woke up this morning?woke up this morning?

Did you brush your teeth?

Take a shower?

Did you eat breakfast…

..or get dressed?

While you were still in bed While you were still in bed pushing that snooze pushing that snooze

button..button..

Did you think about NOT doing Did you think about NOT doing any of those things?any of those things?

Whether or not you did Whether or not you did any of these thingsany of these things

You made the decision to or not to You made the decision to or not to do so.do so.

These sorts of decisions These sorts of decisions may be the easiest may be the easiest

decisions you will ever have decisions you will ever have to make, BUT they will help to make, BUT they will help

you for future critical you for future critical decision makingdecision making

Yes, believe it or not, the decision process for Yes, believe it or not, the decision process for deciding if you should brush your teeth or not deciding if you should brush your teeth or not

is part of the decision process for deciding is part of the decision process for deciding your future.your future.

What does being a good decision What does being a good decision maker require?maker require?

Good preparationGood preparation

Sound reasoningSound reasoning

Maybe even some luckMaybe even some luck

How do we make decisions, How do we make decisions, what influences our what influences our

decision making process, decision making process, and how can we evaluate and how can we evaluate

how effective our decisions how effective our decisions are?are?

Involuntary DecisionsInvoluntary Decisions

Learned over time and are made out of Learned over time and are made out of habit or repetitionhabit or repetition If you tell a funny story that people If you tell a funny story that people actuallyactually

find funny, you will tell that story again in find funny, you will tell that story again in order to receive that positive feedback once order to receive that positive feedback once more.more.

However, However, we should not make too many major we should not make too many major decisions involuntarily, especially if we do not decisions involuntarily, especially if we do not know the consequences.know the consequences.

Voluntary DecisionsVoluntary Decisions

Much more strenuousMuch more strenuous Can take more time, be more difficult, and Can take more time, be more difficult, and

more frustratingmore frustrating BUT this means you are being active within BUT this means you are being active within

the decision making process. Yay!the decision making process. Yay!

All one needs to watch out for is All one needs to watch out for is being influenced by:being influenced by:

Credible sourcesCredible sources Authority figuresAuthority figures PeersPeers Groupthink and interpersonal needs for Groupthink and interpersonal needs for

affectionaffection Inclusion and controlInclusion and control

What are these needs that require What are these needs that require fulfillment that affect how we fulfillment that affect how we

critically evaluate our environment?critically evaluate our environment?

Credible SourceCredible Source

Someone who might not have “special Someone who might not have “special knowledge or insight” but they are knowledge or insight” but they are someone you trust and can go to for helpsomeone you trust and can go to for help

• For example: your momFor example: your mom

Authority FigureAuthority Figure

Someone you would look to for critical Someone you would look to for critical decision making.decision making. Such as a police officer: they have a tendency Such as a police officer: they have a tendency

to influence us in making the decision we to influence us in making the decision we think that authority figure would wantthink that authority figure would want

Peer InfluencePeer Influence

When you are influenced to make a When you are influenced to make a decision that matches or would be decision that matches or would be accepted by people you want to identify accepted by people you want to identify withwith An example would be friends you want to be An example would be friends you want to be

acquainted with. They are in to doing drugs, acquainted with. They are in to doing drugs, so in order to do so you must do drugs along so in order to do so you must do drugs along with them in order to be accepted by them.with them in order to be accepted by them.

GroupthinkGroupthink Type of influence that occurs when you do Type of influence that occurs when you do

not make the right decision in order to not make the right decision in order to avoid confrontation or hard feelings and avoid confrontation or hard feelings and maintain peace and harmonymaintain peace and harmony Example would be choosing to NOT tell Example would be choosing to NOT tell

someone they cannot drive if they have been someone they cannot drive if they have been drinkingdrinking

NeedsNeeds The need for affection: “the greatest thing The need for affection: “the greatest thing

is to love and be loved in return.”is to love and be loved in return.” This can be fulfilled by one personThis can be fulfilled by one person

The need for inclusion: a desire to be The need for inclusion: a desire to be included and part of somethingincluded and part of something This can be fulfilled by a groupThis can be fulfilled by a group

The need to be in control: the desire to The need to be in control: the desire to have power or influence over decision have power or influence over decision making in a relationshipmaking in a relationship

To evaluate our decision making:To evaluate our decision making:

All you must do is focus on the process All you must do is focus on the process used in making the decision and the used in making the decision and the outcome of the decision itself.outcome of the decision itself.

REMEMBERREMEMBER Not all decisions can be made with complete Not all decisions can be made with complete

certaintycertainty Thus, in order to make a good decision we must Thus, in order to make a good decision we must

always:always:1. Ask questions and wonder about them1. Ask questions and wonder about them2. Define the problem2. Define the problem3. consider other interpretations3. consider other interpretations4. Analyze assumptions4. Analyze assumptions5. Control emotional reasoning5. Control emotional reasoning6. tolerate uncertainty6. tolerate uncertainty7. DON’T over simplify7. DON’T over simplify8.Know the evidence that supports/refutes the 8.Know the evidence that supports/refutes the

argument and its oppositionargument and its opposition