The goal of this course is to introduce you to the many psychological influences on decision making. Knowing more about the cognitive and social psychological factors underlying decision making will help you make more informed decisions and help you analyze how other people make decisions. If you are an employee, this course can help you understand how your supervisor makes decisions and how you can affect those decisions. If you are a parent, the course can help you better understand the factors that affect your children’s decision making and perhaps how you can shape it. The goal is to help you better understand your own decisions and the decisions of others.
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We make thousands of decisions each day, though we may not always be consciously aware of each one. Many decisions seem straightforward—when to wake up, what to eat, what to wear, what activities to do—but research suggests that even simple decisions are influenced by other people and by the context in which the decisions are made. More significant decisions such as who we befriend, who we choose as a long-term partner, and what career we pursue are similarly influenced by psychological factors.
This course will separate the varied psychological factors that affect decisions into several categories. Some psychological factors are intrapersonal, meaning they occur in our own mind. These include cognitive factors such as schemas and attributions, and motivational factors such as the influence of psychological needs. Other factors are interpersonal, acknowledging that other people have powerful influences on our decisions. Another section focuses on the unique influence of group dynamics, suggesting our decisions are influenced by conformity, groupthink, and group polarization. Finally, we cover intergroup influences on decision making, such as prejudice and discrimination.
The goal of this course is to introduce you to the many psychological influences on decision making. Knowing more about the psychological factors underlying decision making will help you make more informed decisions and help you analyze how other people make decisions and the factors that contribute to those decisions. If you are an employee, this course can help you understand how your supervisor makes decisions and how you can affect those decisions. If you are a parent, the course can help you better understand the factors that affect your children’s decision making and perhaps help you shape their decision making. A better understanding of the psychological influences on decision making can help improve decision making in personal and professional lives.
This course is part of the Psychology in Action Professional Certificate.
What you'll learn
- Discuss the role of decision making in everyday life.
- Distinguish between intrapersonal and interpersonal influences on decision making.
- Describe the cognitive processes that affect decision making.
- Describe the motivational processes that affect decision making.
- Identify the ways decision making can be influenced by what other individuals say and do.
- Discuss how group dynamics affect decision making.
- Describe how intergroup relations can affect decision making.
Syllabus
Cognitive Influences on Decision Making
Schemas
Heuristics and Biases
Attribution
Affect and Decision Making
Attitudes and Decisions
Motivational Influences on Decision Making
Impressions and Decisions
Need for Affiliation
Need for Consistency
Influence of Other Individuals on Decision Making
Arguments and Persuasion
Compliance and Obedience
Influence of Groups on Decision Making
Conformity
Groupthink
Group Polarization
Deindividuation
Intergroup Influences on Decision Making
Stereotypes
Prejudice
Discrimination
