Decision Making

What principles were demonstrated in each of these situations? Justify and explain your rational for choosing each principle.

The first situation asked to compare three lines and come up with one that matched Line A in length. I chose line 3 at first and submitted my answer. A prompt came up asking if I was sure of my answer and if I want to try again. I believed I was right, but I opted to retry anyways. I then chose line 2. Again, a prompt came up and told me that I was right the first time when I chose line 3. This scenario illustrates conformity. Conformity is behaving in a socially acceptable manner. People will normally conform or have the need to conform so that they are accepted into a group because the desire to belong. When I had made my decision in this problem, I wanted to conform to the rules and select the right answer. Instead, there was a statement that instilled doubt in my mind. So I had a greater desire to conform, and therefore selected a different answer. Many people respond to conformity pressures by advocating a choice that they do not agree with personally (Plouse, 1993, pg. 204). This social factor can have a major affect on an individual's judgment and decision making.

What do these principles and models imply about the ways in which we make decisions?

These principles imply that we are naturally social and our judgments and decisions are influenced by other individuals. They also imply that in many situations, our performance is more superior when we "put heads together" vice just "having more heads than one" (Plouse, 1993, pg. 213). Hastie concluded that groups are usually slightly more accurate than individuals (Plouse, 1993, pg.211). However, it's not always that every individual in a group will be comfortable with an answer or a decision. These models also imply that many people respond to conformity pressures and groupthink by advocating a choice that they do not agree with personally (Plouse, 1993, pg. 204). With that, individuals will not feel the full effect of their effort and the outcome compared to that if one was performing alone.

In your opinion can even the idea of another person influence personal decisions? Why or why not?

In my opinion, I believe the idea of another person can influence personal decisions. People often take