Prior to making decisions it is important to understand the role of underlying factors in the decision making process. In the article “The Neuroscience of Decision Making” it is stated that “though our thoughts are abstract and vaporous in form, they are determined by the actions of specific neuronal circuits in our brains” (Lee, Sulzman, and Wang 1). Within sufferers of mental illness, such as depression, the neurological impact on decision making is observable. Frequently a depressed individual can be observed to act impulsively or out of alignment with how they would typically respond to a situation prior to becoming depressed. Not only do the neuronal circuits in our brains affect our ability to make decisions, these processes take place
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In “The Road Not Taken” we observe the man in the poem looking down one road as far as he can, weighing his options, before taking the other path (Frost 1). Just like the man in “The Road Not Taken” it is vital that we weigh our options and predict possible outcomes before following through with a decision. In a situation where a similar decision has been made it is generally easier to accurately predict the outcome. In the article “Deciding How to Decide” it is noted that an individual can better identify a range of probable outcomes if a similar decision has been previously made (Courtney, Lovallo, and Clarke 12). Doris Walker states in her article “Improving Decision-Making Skills” that “decision making is the process of selecting a course of action from several alternative actions,” and “involves using what you know to get what you want” (3, 4). In order for a decision to have a positive outcome the individual must first conclude what the preferred outcome is and what sacrifice they are willing to make to achieve that outcome. Later on in her article Walker states that “decision making is a dynamic process because decisions are often interrelated and independent. Decisions made at one time affect (and are affected by) other decisions” (“Improving Decision-Making Skills” 23). Thus not only is it important to weigh the outcomes of decisions it is crucial to determine what affect they may have on other areas of ones
In “The Road Not Taken” we observe the man in the poem looking down one road as far as he can, weighing his options, before taking the other path (Frost 1). Just like the man in “The Road Not Taken” it is vital that we weigh our options and predict possible outcomes before following through with a decision. In a situation where a similar decision has been made it is generally easier to accurately predict the outcome. In the article “Deciding How to Decide” it is noted that an individual can better identify a range of probable outcomes if a similar decision has been previously made (Courtney, Lovallo, and Clarke 12). Doris Walker states in her article “Improving Decision-Making Skills” that “decision making is the process of selecting a course of action from several alternative actions,” and “involves using what you know to get what you want” (3, 4). In order for a decision to have a positive outcome the individual must first conclude what the preferred outcome is and what sacrifice they are willing to make to achieve that outcome. Later on in her article Walker states that “decision making is a dynamic process because decisions are often interrelated and independent. Decisions made at one time affect (and are affected by) other decisions” (“Improving Decision-Making Skills” 23). Thus not only is it important to weigh the outcomes of decisions it is crucial to determine what affect they may have on other areas of ones