"Decisions are emotional, not logical" (article)

[louiesgonnadie]

http://bigthink.com/experts-corner/decisions-are-emotional-not-logical-the-neuroscience-behind-decision-making

Haven't formed much of an opinion on this yet.

What do you fellows think?

 

[Matt3737]

I haven't read it, but I agree because I've held this assumption myself.

In my opinion, logic is more akin to weighing, measuring, and inverting the pros and cons of a decision. Because pros and cons are subjective measures, it may continue to invert indefinitely until a decision either must be made or the decider ceases consideration under scenarios of incomplete information.

The more complete the information, the less of a choice there would appear to be. Nobody has to consider the obvious because it is such by definition. How often does one consider the pros and cons of taking a hammer to one's own knee? The information is fairly certain and takes little consideration.

So to come to decision would be to make a subjective judgment upon the relative value of differing actions and the interpretation of such actions. Logic and emotion both play roles of course, it'd be imprudent to claim only one and not both, but emotion seems to play a role in eliminating variables from the equation and simplifying the decision-making process.

 

[Nezaros]

I don't really think this is tremendous news to anybody. Emotions always have held more sway over what people do than what makes the most logical sense. I should get out of bed and go to class, but I'd feel so much better not doing so. Self-discipline helps to ignore those emotions and do the logical thing, but it's almost impossible to eliminate that component entirely.

 

[Da Blob]

Pretty much sensationalist B. S. IMO. Any time a person decides to move, they have made a decision. Often people decide to move just because they are uncomfortable or seeking greater comfort, no emotions involved. However, there is no doubt that 'e'motions do function as motivators for some actions, if not the decisions leading to those actions. It is a stress-related process. Case studies based upon brain damage are always suspect...

There is such a range of types of decisions, that any generalization concerning decisions is likely to be flawed. One would think that if a specific type of decision was linked to a particular type of emotion, then those correlations might have significance, but the article really did not seem to suggest that scientific methodology was used.

 

[Nezaros]

Any time a person decides to move, they have made a decision. Often people decide to move just because they are uncomfortable or seeking greater comfort, no emotions involved.

That's still a feeling-based decision. They feel uncomfortable, so they act. They don't go through it in their minds, weighing the consequences of each possibility.

 

[Mysty]

In response to the article in the OP...

Certainly, I think I often naturally use the approach that is suggested to get people to like my idea. Finding out the persons objections often allows for their irrational objections to get sorted out and overthrown! Really, when used very deliberately this sort of "method" can easily be seen as manipulation. If it is used along with the rational logical facts it might be ok, but con artists use this sort of methods with spades.

I sure use a heavy dose of the logic too, and with some people that actually works!!

Many smart women use this idea with their husbands all the time - if they point the conversation in particular directions, etc, their husbands believe they have come up with the idea themselves!

There is one boss at work though who if he likes you, he will "hear" your arguments favourably, but if he doesn't like you he will dismiss the same arguments and see them negatively. I therefore thinks he is an F (but more than likely belives himself a T). I think this is a very poor way to be as a boss. The good bosses carefully balance the arguments of others and works out the logic for themselves, irrespective of whether they personally like the person (as long as they respect the person for their competence). I assume these bosses are T's.

Another thing I thought when I read the article is that TP's are frequently not as in touch with their emotions and also are known for their reticence in making decisions, making me wonder if their is a link there. However, the TJ's have no issues with this and are not necessarily any more in touch with their emotions? or are they?

 

[Da Blob]

That's still a feeling-based decision. They feel uncomfortable, so they act. They don't go through it in their minds, weighing the consequences of each possibility.

Any thought of a nonverbal nature can be classified as a 'mere' feeling, and there is a wide range of such that have nothing to do with the endocrine system, "the seat of emotions".

If humans took the time to analyze everything they would not survive...