How our mood affects decision making

Until not many decades ago, emotions were not something that were taken into account when deepening and explaining human behavior. Gradually psychology was studying the enormous importance that these sensations had in our behavior, including decision making. From choosing between two brands of shampoo in the supermarket, to decide what jobs to accept between two different cities, emotions play such an important role that many are the studies that have been carried out on the subject on the subject. Today, from psychoactive, we comment on the fundamental role that emotions and moods play in our ability to decide.

Content

• Emotions and decision making
• Positive elements that contribute emotions
• When emotions are not so good allies
• Specific emotions and their impact when deciding
  • 1. Fear and uncertainty
  • 2. Anger and trust
  • 3. Excessive positivity
  • 4. Sadness and negative mood
  • Links of interest

Emotions and decision making

He mood and emotions They not only influence decision -making processes but sometimes determine them completely. Learning how we work in these cases can help us be more objective and practical about it.

Some people claim that it is best to put aside emotions when deciding, to reach the most rational conclusion, but these sensations are also very important elements to take into account because they function as necessary impulse to act, transmitting messages from Our body about what we want and what we do not want in our lives. Other people, however they defend that "listening to the heart" or "instinct", will lead us to the best decision, which can also have negative implications, such as those we will see below.

Positive elements that contribute emotions

When we make emotions -based decisions and not rationalization, there are a series of differences that can be both positive and negative.

In survival situations in which you have to react momentarily, emotions can make decisions faster that when rationality plays a greater role. An emotion like fear, makes our ability to act more reactive, which can be positive when we need to act quickly in order to preserve our survival.

Emotions are also very positive when options to choose from are very similar. They help select what the individual really wants more clearly. In addition, emotions can make us consider the feelings of others and empathize with them when making decisions, which can sometimes mean a contradiction to self -interest, but achieves greater solidarity between human beings.

When there is emotion during the experience of an experience, our brain will process and store the information more precisely, getting us to learn more deeply and we can make future decisions based on these experiences.

When emotions are not so good allies

In more complex situations that many elements require to consider, acting reactively can be counterproductive. There are problematic situations that require reflection and consideration of very diverse factors, since the consequences of a bad decision can lead to very negative effects. They are decisions that are usually taken in the long term and that require patience and a good observation.

When emotions are Very intense And they influence decision too. Although later we try to justify ourselves rationally, our reflection has been annulled by the magnitude of our feelings at a given time, leaving little space to the consideration of various factors, implications and possible consequences. That is why when making an important decision, waiting to be calm and more aware of these factors is very necessary.

Specific emotions and their impact when deciding

Some of the most studied emotions regarding their implications in decision making are:

1. Fear and uncertainty

Fear is an intense emotion that creates a feeling of uncertainty, of fear of what can happen. This It can lead us to react quickly to an extreme situation, or to leave us blocked When fear is permanent and consolidated. Expressions such as "Everything will go wrong" or "I don't think I can do this" come from a feeling of fear that does not allow us to contemplate the situation with rationality or find the necessary bravery to decide.

2. Anger and trust

According to psychologists and researchers such as Jennifer Lerner, from Harvard University, anger, unlike fear, creates a sense of trust that entails a tendency to commit greater risks, minimizing their danger. The anger active to people and these tend to seek a more intense and immediate consequence. It is the emotion that we usually cry out of something that we consider unfair, however it can simplify our thoughts leading to confusion, more than to make a good decision.

3. Excessive positivity

Although it seems surprising, The feelings of happiness and very high joy are not great allies when making decisions. Positive emotions help to make decisions is something faster, however, an excess of positivity seems to be related to greater confidence in the attractiveness of a decision, overlooking other important messages that speak more about the quality of the decision.

4. Sadness and negative mood

On the contrary, Not very excessive sadness can make our thought more systematic. Thus, it is usually processed and better reflected on factors that are not so attractive, better analyzing situations. But again, excessive sadness leads to a blockade and a rumination of thoughts that can lead people to confusion and immobilization, making erroneous decisions based on the most extreme pessimism.

As we see, the emotions that are generally excessively intense, both anger and joy or sadness, make us process situations and problems in a biased way. Certain doses of emotion are completely necessary to activate and condition our ability to decide according to our wishes, but remember, if you must make an important decision that can have very notable long -term consequences, it is best to contemplate the situation calmly and tranquility, of systematic way, so that the process is not tarnished by a burst of momentary emotions that have not allowed us to study the situation well.

Links of interest

• The Best Headspace for Making Decions. Olga Khazan. (2016) https: // www.Theatlantic.com/Science/Archive/2016/09/The-Best-Headspace-For-Making-Decisions/500423/
• Emotional Decision Making Can Improve Decions When Managed as Part of The Process. https: // www.Decision-Making-Solutions.com/Emotional_decision_making.HTML
• How Your Emots Influence Your Decions. Svetlana Whitener. (2018). https: // www.Forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/05/09/How-Iour-Emountions-Influence-Your-Decisions/#4D21843FDA65