How to make smart decisions more easily
TED-Ed
5 min, 16 sec
The video explains the concept of decision fatigue, how it affects people's ability to make sound decisions, and the strategies to avoid it. It illustrates this with a study about parole board judges and how their decisions were influenced by the time of day, probably due to decision fatigue.
Summary
- A 2011 study found that parole board judges were more likely to grant parole to prisoners during the morning sessions than in the afternoon, revealing the influence of decision fatigue on their judgments.
- Decision fatigue occurs after a period of extended decision making, leading to impulsiveness and lack of confidence in decision making.
- The frequency, complexity, and novelty of decisions can influence how quickly an individual reaches their decision-making threshold.
- High-stakes professions like judges and doctors are more prone to decision fatigue due to the nature of their work.
- To avoid decision fatigue in daily life, strategies like making fewer daily decisions, spreading tasks over multiple days, and not stressing over small decisions can be helpful.
Chapter 1
A study found that the time of day significantly influenced parole board judges' decisions, possibly due to decision fatigue.
- The study followed a group of judges deciding on granting parole to imprisoned individuals.
- Factors like the crime committed, existing sentence, and current behavior of the prisoners were considered.
- However, the time of day had a remarkably large impact on the decisions.
- Prisoners who met with the board in the morning were more likely to receive parole than those in the afternoon.
Chapter 2
Decision fatigue is cognitive exhaustion that occurs after a period of extended decision making, leading to impulsive and less confident choices.
- Both physical and mental tasks use up our body's energy.
- Extended decision making can lead to decision fatigue, where individuals reach a threshold for making decisions.
- After reaching this threshold, most people choose to 'take it easy' and postpone serious decision making.
Chapter 3
The frequency, complexity, and novelty of decisions can determine how quickly an individual reaches their decision-making threshold.
- Decisions like what to eat for breakfast aren't very taxing and give ample room for recovery of cognitive energy.
- Unexpected, complicated decisions, like replacing a broken-down car, can quickly lead to decision fatigue due to their complexity and serious consequences.
- Such decisions require thoughtful research, consideration of various factors, and dealing with time pressure.
Chapter 4
Professions where individuals need to make multiple high-stakes decisions every day, like judges and doctors, face significant risks from decision fatigue.
- In such professions, decision fatigue can be dangerous due to the high stakes and back-to-back nature of the decisions.
- Decision fatigue in medicine is a concern as long shifts filled with life-or-death decisions can lead to critical mistakes.
Chapter 5
Various strategies can help individuals avoid decision fatigue in their daily lives.
- Making fewer daily decisions, spreading tasks over multiple days, and removing rote decisions can help reduce decision fatigue.
- Imagining decisions as someone else's before considering personal consequences can also be less draining.
- Recognizing that not every choice is equally important can save energy for decisions that truly matter.
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