Stress and Decision-Making
Scientists who study stress say that our brains are not built to do complex thinking, planning, and remembering in times of massive upheaval. In fact, the limbic system is hyperactive during negative emotions and stress. The well-known “fight or flight response” begins in the limbic system, which triggers anxiety and fear and overrides our brain’s executive functions. Not unexpectedly, many people report having trouble thinking and planning, generally feel unfocused, and may even have difficulty with impulse control during times of stress. We all can relate to this as we look back on our experiences during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
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When we are under unusual stress, it’s important to note that our decision-making process is impaired. However, even in stressful times, essential decisions still need to be made in our personal and professional lives. Here are a few things that you might want to consider before making major decisions in your life.
The decision-making process is multi-dimensional (Kowalski-Trakofler et al., 2003) and involves a series of steps, such as 1) Recognize the problem or objective, 2) Generate alternative actions, 3) Evaluate possible alternatives, 4) Choose among alternatives, and 5) Implement the option. However, when we are under stress, we tend to:
• Continue what we are doing, ignoring information about the risk.
• Adopt whatever alternative is most strongly recommended.
• Avoid deciding by shifting responsibility to someone else.
• Search for a way out of the situation and impulsively act upon a hastily conceived solution.
Any one of these actions could have a severe impact on the quality of our decision-making process. Many experts in the field of decision-making recommend a process that involves:
Searching for relevant information
Assimilating information in an unbiased and objective way
Carefully evaluating options before making a choice
How to Avoid Decision-Making Pitfalls
You can avoid some of the pitfalls of making decisions under stress. Here are a few practices that you might find helpful when you're faced with making an important decision:
Use a balance sheet exercise. This pre-decision process provides a means to realistically confront and answer potential risks and gains which may not have been previously contemplated. With a systematic approach to listing risks and gains (or pros and cons), even the most motivated and alert person may notice some vital dimensions of the problem being considered. The "balance sheet" approach is helpful because it enables us to evaluate alternatives and consequences (Janis, 1982) thoroughly.
Use checklists. Preventing potential decision failures might also be avoided by preparing a list of goals or objectives for whatever alternative you select. This will help slow down the decision-making process to objectively evaluate each option against a set of goals or criteria (Kruglanski, 1986).
Heighten the fear of failure. Experts in decision-making processes advocate having someone provide reminders of the various courses of negative consequences. This helps us become aware of potential biases, decreasing the likelihood of faulty thinking (Kruglanski, 1986).
Avoid setting a fixed period. Creating a deadline or fixed requirement for a decision to be made adds stress to an already stressful situation. Creating an artificial deadline may require processing too much information too quickly, which could lead to less rational decisions. Whenever possible, allow enough time to gather information and evaluate solutions.
One of the hardest things to do is give yourself space before making an important decision. However, even a few hours can make a big difference in the quality of your decision.
References
Janis, I., (1982). Groupthink: Psychological Studies of Policy Decisions and Fiascoes. 2nd. Ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Kowalski-Trakofler, K. M., Vaught, C., & Scharf, T. (2003). Judgment and decision making under stress: an overview for emergency managers. International Journal of Emergency Management, 1(3), 278-289.
Kruglanski, A. W. (1986). Motivational bases of attributions. In meeting of the New England Social Psychology Association, Amherst, MA.