In Gut We Trust When It Comes to Choices

Summary: Researchers say decisions which recruit intuition, or gut feelings, are seen as a reflection of the true self.

Source: American Psychological Association.

Why do some people trust their gut instincts over logic? It could be that they see those snap decisions as a more accurate reflection of their true selves and therefore are more likely to hold them with conviction, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“We offer what we believe to be a novel and unique approach to the question of why people come to hold certain attitudes,” said lead researcher Sam Maglio, PhD, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Toronto Scarborough. “Focusing on feelings as opposed to logic in the decision-making process led participants to hold more certain attitudes toward and advocate more strongly for their choices.”

The research was published in the journal Emotion.

Maglio and co-author Taly Reich, PhD, an assistant professor of marketing at Yale University, conducted a series of four experiments involving a total of more than 450 participants, including local residents, undergraduate students and online survey takers. In each experiment, participants had to choose from a selection of similar items, such as different DVD players, mugs, apartments or restaurants. In each case, participants were asked to make their decision either in a deliberative, logical manner or in an intuitive, gut-based one. They were then asked a series of questions about the choice.

Participants who were instructed to make an intuitive, gut-based decision were more likely to report that that decision reflected their true selves. The researchers also found that participants who made intuitive, gut-based decisions were more certain of their decisions and more likely to advocate for them.

In one experiment, participants were asked to choose between two different restaurants, again based either on intuition or deliberation, and were then instructed to publicize their choice by emailing their decision to their friends. The people who picked a restaurant intuitively shared their choice with more people.

“This suggests that focusing on feelings doesn’t just change attitudes — it can change behavior, too,” said Maglio.

One thing that was surprising, according to Maglio, was how willing people were to make an intuitive, gut-based decision when instructed. “So much folk wisdom says that we should eschew intuition because careful deliberation is thought to be the surest path to good choices, but we can’t escape our gut feelings,” he said.

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Participants who were instructed to make an intuitive, gut-based decision were more likely to report that that decision reflected their true selves. NeuroscienceNews.com image is in the public domain.

“In making decisions, people must decide not only what to choose, but how to choose it,” said Maglio. “Our research suggests that individuals focusing on their feelings in decision-making do indeed come to see their chosen options as more consistent with what is essential, true and unwavering about themselves.”

But the surety that comes with making a gut-based instead of logical choice can be a double-edged sword, said Maglio. For instance, if someone chooses an exercise program (e.g., cycling) based on feelings, he or she may be more likely to stick to it. On the other hand, gut-based decisions made in today’s polarized political climate may not be conducive to a functioning democracy.

“When digging our heels in is a good thing, like making sure we hop on the bike every day, there’s little downside and a lot of benefit. But dug-in heels give way to stubbornness and isolationism in the blink of an eye,” said Maglio. “When our political attitudes are made intuitively and make us certain that we’re right, we shut ourselves off from the possibility that we might be even a little bit wrong. For this reason, perhaps a bit of the openness facilitated by deliberation isn’t a bad thing after all.”

About this neuroscience research article

Source: Jim Sliwa – American Psychological Association
Publisher: Organized by NeuroscienceNews.com.
Image Source: NeuroscienceNews.com image is in the public domain.
Original Research: Open access research for “Feeling Certain: Gut Choice, the True Self, and Attitude Certainty” by Sam Maglio, PhD, and Taly Reich, PhD in Emotion. Published September 10 2018.
doi:10.1037/emo0000490

Cite This NeuroscienceNews.com Article

[cbtabs][cbtab title=”MLA”]American Psychological Association”In Gut We Trust When It Comes to Choices.” NeuroscienceNews. NeuroscienceNews, 10 September 2018.
<https://neurosciencenews.com/gut-choices-9832/>.[/cbtab][cbtab title=”APA”]American Psychological Association(2018, September 10). In Gut We Trust When It Comes to Choices. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved September 10, 2018 from https://neurosciencenews.com/gut-choices-9832/[/cbtab][cbtab title=”Chicago”]American Psychological Association”In Gut We Trust When It Comes to Choices.” https://neurosciencenews.com/gut-choices-9832/ (accessed September 10, 2018).[/cbtab][/cbtabs]


Abstract

Feeling Certain: Gut Choice, the True Self, and Attitude Certainty

Decisions need not always be deliberative. Instead, people confronting choices can recruit their gut feelings, processing information about choice options in accordance with how they feel about options rather than what they think about them. Reliance on feelings can change what people choose, but might this decision strategy also impact how people evaluate their chosen options? The present investigation tackles this question by integrating insights from the separate literatures on the true self and attitude certainty. Four studies support a process model by which focusing on feelings (vs. deliberation) in choice causes people to see their true selves reflected in those choices (Studies 1 and 2), leading to enhanced attitude certainty (Study 3) and advocacy on behalf of that attitude (Study 4) while offering robustness checks and accounting for alternative explanations throughout. Discussion of these findings highlights the opportunity for new insights at the intersection of feeling-focused decision making, attitudes, and the true self.

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  1. Their findings can provide a benefit to those of us who develop behavioral interventions and prevention programs in public health. While reading, because of my own research among those with traumatic experiences and research of the adolescent brain, several questions came to mind. How do “gut feelings” among those who have had traumatic experiences (including but not limited to, parental intimate partner abuse, physical, emotional and sexual abuse, exposure to parental mental illness, etc.), differ from those not exposed to traumatic experiences. Further, are the “gut feelings” among adolescents, solving for traumatic experiences, more representative of their true self during adolescence?

    Researchers, Sam Maglio, PhD, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Toronto Scarborough and co-author Taly Reich, PhD, an assistant professor of marketing at Yale University, conducted a study of four experiments with a total of more than 450 participants, including local residents, undergraduate students and online surveys to study how “gut feelings” affect our choices. Among the four experiments, they found that choices made from “gut feelings” are more of a reflection of their true self [Feeling Certain: Gut Choice, the True Self, and Attitude Certainty, S. Maglio and T. Reich, Emotion (in print)].
    This is an interesting study. From a neuroscience perspective, considering “gut feeling” in making choices makes sense, so long as the person is emotionally healthy. And if we are studying adults or adolescents.

    As a cognitive neuroscientist it makes sense that one’s choice that is based on their “gut feeling” is more likely to be representative of their true self. Our brains help us make choices, based on past experiences, in order to survive in the environment we are exposed to, so long as this person is emotionally healthy and secure, their gut feeling would seem to be more representative of their true self.

    A factor that would be interesting to discuss among this research is to study, how “gut feelings” are negatively affected among those with traumatic experiences. As scientific studies have demonstrated, traumatic experiences, can modify the brain accordingly. As a result, as this group acts upon their “gut feeling”, such as those with PTSD, lifetime exposure to traumatic experiences, boundary violations, etc., their choices based on “gut feelings” could be altered due to traumatic effects and thus not being a representative of their “true self” (prior to the traumatic experience), but instead are now representative of their “post-traumatic true self”. This would be beneficial for behavioral based and awareness programs. Whereas often, those who have been exposed to traumatic experiences have relationship problems, for example. Sometimes unaware how their “gut feelings” might be over-reactive causing future intimate, school and work relationship problems. Or even putting themselves at further traumatic risk.

    A second factor to discuss in this research is, “gut feelings” and “choices” among adolescents. As we are aware, during adolescence, the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) is not fully developed, so an adolescent counts on the limbic system, the emotional part of their brain, to make choices. This group obviously could exhibit different “gut feeling” results from those of adults, because they utilize strong emotions during decision making.

    Overall this is an interesting study and it would be great to see follow-up research to include how traumatic experiences affect “gut feelings” and how the adolescent brain plays a role. I would expect that “gut feelings” among those exposed to traumatic experiences would be altered and be representative of their “post-traumatic true self”, rather than their “true self” prior to the traumatic events. Similarly, among adolescents, “gut feelings” might likely be based on emotional feelings due to their stage of brain development. Nevertheless these types of studies could significantly contribute to preventive strategies among health educators, practitioners and public health professionals.

  2. This is an interesting study. I am pleased to have discovered it and have the opportunity to make comment. Considering “gut feeling” in making choices makes sense, so long as the person is emotionally healthy. And also keeping in mind if we are studying the adolescent or adult brain. As a cognitive neuroscientist it makes sense that one’s choice that is based on their “gut feeling” is more likely to be representative of their true self. Our brains help us make choices based on past experiences in order to survive in our environment, so long as this person is emotionally healthy and secure their gut feeling could have positive outcomes (of their true self). What could be factored into the discussion is, how “gut feelings” are negatively impacted among those exposed to traumatic experiences. As we aware, traumatic experiences, can modify the brain accordingly. As a result, as this group acts upon their “gut feeling”, such as those with PTSD, lifetime exposure to traumatic experiences, boundary violations, etc., their choices based on “gut feelings” could be altered due to traumatic effects and thus not being representative of their “true self” (prior to the traumatic experience), but instead are now representative of their “post-traumatic true self”. Also when considering “gut feeling” and “choices” among adolescents, keep in mind of their brain development during this time of their life because of the use of their limbic system (emotional brain) when making decisions and limited executive functioning (PFC). This group obviously could exhibit different “gut feeling” results from those of adults. Overall, this is an interesting study. When discussing “gut feelings” we might want to consider factoring in pre-post traumatic experiences to help validify how “gut feelings” are representative of our true self.

  3. The confusion overtakes as one wants to seek relief of result now by exercising choice ( out of many). This relief is not available to the brain.
    When there is no flawless choice, but you have to act. Not acting is also an act.
    When one understands that there is no flawless choice, one is hinged on to uncertainty. There is no way this uncertainty can be solved. (one is helpless). This understanding relaxes the brain at the peak of energy . There dawns clarity, action becomes relaxed, comfort in itself.

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