Decisions and basic instincts.

As I was going through all the articles and book chapters on the subject of 'decisions from experience' I found out that although it was very interesting to investigate this material, there seemed to be a subject-related area that was not discussed in those papers.

The fact is that I was hoping to read something ‘much more risky’ than flipping coin experiments when I first saw the article by Hertwig et al (2004). This is because my definition of ‘risk’ is probably very narrow – generally related to life/health threatening situations. Of course, we can be involved in risky situations when putting money on horses or playing at a casino in the financial aspect. As this matter is significant and definitely worth investigating in the context of cognitive psychology, I began to wonder how do we make decisions in very serious conditions? Why do some people run towards a perpetrator when someone is under attack, while other people look away? Or (true stories) how a mother can be so determined to save her child from pain that she lifts the car as it stops on her son’s foot? How is it possible that a pregnant woman who wants to save herself/her child during a flood, climbs up a tree and gives birth alone and then bites off the umbilical cord?

First of all, I must admit that recently I have been pretty much interested in evolutionary psychology – especially when it comes to situations related to potential loss of health or life by an individual or his relative, which is very interesting as it seems, that according to statistics we are very likely to kill for someone we love or someone we love. Statistics for England made in cooperation with WHO say that almost half of the female victims were killed by partners or ex-partners. In general, more than 80% of the murderers were not committed by serial killers, contract killers and so forth. This led certain researchers to a simple conclusion, according to which there are situations, in which our decisions are based on some sort of animal instincts.

Another aspect concerns our interest in defending others. Obviously, an old lady will not stop a thief with a high kick. However, why is it so that some of physically strong males would decide to intervene as they see someone getting assaulted, whereas other would turn away? We may assume that these situations should be considered in terms of courage or fighting skills. But then again there are people who did not have any professional training and act almost ‘without thinking’ in such risky conditions. Perhaps, such a condition comes from principles that were learned by one at home.

Then again what if a person knows that it is not the case, because he did not discuss this topic with anyone? It is just something that happens. The decision is made in less than a second every time this sort of reaction is optional. Apart from that and in terms of making decisions (sometimes instinctively - at a young age) about future careers it seems that particular roles fascinate definite types of people. Probably that is why some become soldiers, some teachers, some corporate executives and others forensic pathologists.