Simplified Decision Making Strategies

Decision making strategies are blueprints for predecisional information processing. Some of them, e.g. compensatory strategies, require complex cognitive activity, such as multiplication or addition, and allow to supplement lack of one type of information with another type of reliable data. Decision making in a state of strong emotional arousal and under the influence of strong negative emotions (e.g. fear or disgust), tends to result in selective processing of information. In such situations people choose simplified decision making strategies, i.e. non-compensatory strategies. It is associated with the production of noradrenaline in the brain. Noradrenaline is a neurotransmitter and hormone that is produced naturally and has wide ranging effects on many areas of the body. It is responsible for the body's reaction to stressful situations and results in a narrowed analysis of data as well as automatic, uncontrolled, and fast judgements.

Emotional Arousal and Decision Making

An innovative application of psychophysiological assessment allows for better than it was possible before, objective and precise analysis of the impact that arousal has on decision making. Research conducted by Szymon Wichary, Ph.D. has shown a connection between skin conductance and the scope of information we can processes in a given situation. The higher the skin conductance, i.e. tendency for sweaty palms, the less information we are able to analyse in high pressure or stressful situations. As the result, people under stress are more prone to making decisions based on mental shortcuts. This correlation is especially strong in men.

Previous research into this type of correlation indicated that stress results in the limited attention, however it did not explain how stress impacts decision making. In this study we have applied an additional method for identification of decision making strategies. Study participants were asked to choose one of four job candidates in a computer-based task. We were observing how much information about the candidates the participants were downloading and what decision making strategy they were using. Before making the final decision they were exposed to a drastic photograph for six seconds. We wanted to check, if this type of manipulation is effective. Therefore, we measured the level of their palm sweating during the decision making process, explains Szymon Wichary.

Paramedics, firefighters or soldiers, i.e. the first responders in crisis situations, such as accidents, cataclysms, and combat, must make decisions under emotional stress. We can try to help them. Current technologies enable the development of simple monitoring systems for the assessment of physiological reactions and cognitive processes in people making decisions under high cognitive stress, in crisis situations.