Emotions and Decision Making
Posted February 22nd, 2016
When at work, as in our personal life, we are constantly called upon to make decisions, some more important than others. We like to think that when we make a decision, we are calmly and rationally looking at the issue, weighing the pros and cons and deliberating judiciously before making our choice.
But that is not always the case because often our emotions come into play as well, and they can get in the way of making a good decision. They can affect how we perceive the situation and color our judgment. So, it is important to recognize how emotions can affect our reasoning so we can make allowances for them. Here, according to psychologists, are a few things to keep in mind about how emotions affect our judgment.
1. If you are excited, you have greater optimism for a positive outcome.
If you are psyched up, you tend to think that you have a better chance at doing well, at coming out on top. Your emotions tend to obscure obstacles that you might encounter, and the risk that is involved. You are simply revved up and ready to go, to do something, and your excitement gives you confidence, whether merited or not.
2. Being anxious pervades all of our decisions.
Even if your anxiety centers around a certain event – a crisis with a loved one, for example, or financial problems — it tends to affect our decisions in areas that may be completely unrelated to what is making us anxious. So, being anxious about something in your personal life is likely to carry over to your work life, causing you to be more anxious when you make decisions there.
3. Feeling depressed lessens the desire to be bold.
When we are feeling depressed, we are unlikely to make decisions that are risky, daring, or enterprising. In fact, the opposite is true – our decisions are more likely to be safe and secure, choices that won’t rock the boat or push the envelope. So, if you are feeling unhappy or melancholy, chances are you won’t be applying for a promotion or asking for a raise.
In one study, people who were depressed and were asked to sell an item usually set a lower price than other people did.
4. If you are agitated or angry, you are more likely to make a rash decision.
Being emotionally agitated leads us to make decisions that are ill-considered, ones that are often impulsive or impetuous. We know our chances of success are a long shot, but we do it anyway.
The point of this article is not to try and take emotions out of the equation. Emotions are important in decision making, and can often help us to make better decisions. But we also need to be aware of how emotions can affect our decision making so that they don’t lead us astray.
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