Decision Making Strategies
Michael Lokosis
Problem Solving
When it comes to everyday life you run into many obstacles that require decision making. Every decision made on a daily basis is based off of three decision making strategy models.
Types of Decision Making Strategies
The Single-Feature Model
The Single-Feature Model Strategy is used when trying to chose between many options. In order to make a decision you base your final decision on one single aspect. This model is used to make very simple and quick decisions. For example, when you go shopping to buy a laptop for school you realize that all the laptops are basically the same. You narrow it down to the most light weight laptop since you will be carrying the laptop around with you almost everyday.
The Additive Model
The Additive Model Strategy is used for more complex decisions and is designed to evaluate the best features of each alternative. This strategy can be used when buying a car. You write down all of the features that you want in a car and give points based on which car have the most features that you want and deduct points from cars that do not. This allows you to evaluate in-depth so that your decision making is more precise.
The Elmination by Aspects Model
The Elimination by Aspects model strategy is just like it sounds, it is effective by using the process of elimination. This is where you go through the characteristics of something and "cross off" the things you dislike about the object or option. This strategy is effective because it allows you to narrow your options down to your best fit, allowing you to make the right decision or best available choice.
This, That, or...The other
Now that you've learned these decision making strategies life can go a little more smoother when it comes to critical decision making. We all naturally use one or all of these strategies in our everyday lives at on point or another, but it is best to identify which strategy is best used for which type of decision you are making, So get into your strategic decision making rhythm in order to get through and keep a good balance in you're everyday life.
References
Cherry, K. (2015). Decision-Making Strategies: How Time, Complexity, and Ambiguity Influence Which Method We Use. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/problemsolving/a/decision-making-Strategies.htm
Hockenbury, D., & Hockenbury, S. (2014). Thinking, Language, and Intelligence. In Discovering psychology: Special update for DSM-5 (Sixth ed., pp. 285-286). New York, New York: Worth.