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Choices, choices.
Ixarku:
--- Quote from: megido-rev.M on May 08, 2012, 12:37:41 AM ---Strangely enough, I'm usually correct (to meet an objective) on the first guess, but usually the second one would be way off (i.e. second guessing myself). Whether I take the dive for the second one comes from mixing intuition/judgment and slight bias for the risk factor (I get bored way too often).
--- End quote ---
This is actually pretty common, especially when it comes to taking tests. I've always been advised (and this was reinforced by the instructor & the proctor at my recent certification exam) to not second-guess, as apparently statistically when people are unsure about a question they tend to get the correct answer the first time.
Me personally, when it comes to decision making, I hate being put on the spot and forced to make snap decisions, especially about anything of consequence or anything I haven't had time to give any serious thought to. I'm not an impulsive person most of the time; I have to have time to think about the pros and cons of a decision. I look at all of the facts I know, and try to make an educated guess about the things I may not know about, I weigh the probabilities of different events happening which would shape the results, and I look at the various outcomes to see what's most likely and most desirable. If applicable, I also take into account my own feelings about the matter at hand -- does my instinct tell me something about the situation, how much do I want to go a certain way or not just because I'm in a bad mood or am in a risk-taking mood, etc.
So I have a very rational, measured approach to most decisions, but I will occasionally act impulsively too, especially if I can't make up my mind. It's often better to make a decision impulsively and be wrong rather than to not make a decision at all. Overthinking -- ie spending too much time making a decision, or giving undue weight to insignificant factors, or going over the same information over and over -- is definitely bad and to be avoided. I'm pretty good at keeping the proper perspective on what factors are important and which ones aren't, but I am definitely a worrier and I have to really work to keep myself from stressing out over particularly daunting or discouraging problems.
Saras:
I don't know if I can explain it clearly, but.
First thing first, I evaluate the worst possible outcome. If the worst possible outcome is fairly minor, aka a slap to the face, getting some bastard angry... etc. I'd say I would make decisions mostly based on subconscious intuition and a little bit of conscious thought to guide to a particular result I desire. Am I likely to repeat mistakes? Depends on two things, if the mistake in question was "fun" or whether I could avoid said mistake by making simple alterations to my previous approach. If either of these is a yes, I will try again.
If the worst possible outcome sucks hard. I will go by roughly 3:5/intuition:logic. I will allow my intuition to give me a foundation of possible moves and I will use my conscious knowledge and memory to analyse and eliminate invalid or unsatisfactory ones. I will choose the one which would bring me closest to a satisfactory "minimal loss outcome:best chance of success" even if the chance for a losing condition increases. I will never bet all I have on an outcome of 50:50. But I am willing to bet "non-crippling" amounts for 20:80. Though generally even thought I despise having to rely on luck, I am unlikely to go the risk nothing:gain nothing route either. What judges a satisfactory condition? The situation. I am usually unwilling to repeat serious mistakes and I tend to remember them quite vividly. However, if I believe the mistake to be an outcome of some "schoolboy error" and if I can minimize the total risk, I am likely to go after it again.
This generally summarizes my decision making process.
megido-rev.M:
I instinctively aim for the best outcome, except that I have a dynamic quantification of what's 'best' at any given time.
EmptyMemory:
As lame as this might sound, I heavily take my morals into account before I make a decision. The best outcome isn't as important to me.
However, if morality is not in question, then I use more logic than intuition.
metro.:
--- Quote from: EmptyMemory on May 09, 2012, 12:47:53 AM ---As lame as this might sound, I heavily take my morals into account before I make a decision. The best outcome isn't as important to me.
However, if morality is not in question, then I use more logic than intuition.
--- End quote ---
You judge a situation and try to make the moral choice? My, my, that must be all laughs.
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