The psychology behind decision making
Everyone, everywhere, is constantly making choices. However big, however small, our brains are constantly evaluating and processing information to make the best decisions for us. In fact, you may be making a decision right now, without even realizing it. Every little thing we do is dictated by the choices our minds make. However, what dictates the decisions we make? How does our subconscious choose the best path for us?
It all comes down to rationalization and life experience. In some cases, people may be so familiar with a situation, that little thought processing is required to proceed, such as making lunch, or completing a simple task. A person’s brain follows a set path when faced with a minor decision, or well known choice. The mind simply follows the grooves that it had traced previously, requiring little thought or input from the more active parts of your mind. However, things can't always be this easy when deciding which paths to take.
Crucial decision making is something that we all have experienced, and probably have stressed over at some point. This is where your mind really works to find logical, or sometimes emotion based, decisions. The human mind is prone to error, and one of the reasons for this is the constant involvement of emotion in our decisions. How we feel, our values, and the values of the people around us and individuals we look up to can all contribute to the choices we make.
The character traits a person has can also impact their decisions. For example, if a person tends to be more curious and a risk taker in nature, then they may be less cautious about their choices. If a person is more rational and a worrier, then they may prefer to think over options longer than others. This sets psychological differences between people.
Our minds can work in incredible ways, and most of our decisions are made on the spot subconsciously, based on our own differences in thought process and character traits. In the end, the small differences in our minds is what sets us apart.