How to Affect and Emotions Influence Decision Making Processes - Essay Example

?How affect and emotions influence decision making processes According to Norman (2004), emotions are influenced by three critical levels of the human brain. They are visceral, behavioral and reflective levels. A visceral level is a prewired level of the brain that is associated with appearance. This brain level controls actions of individuals. Visceral level is often automatic, fast and makes quick as well as rapid judgments whether a specific situation is bad or good, dangerous or safe, sad or happy and so on through appropriate signals that the muscles receives and alerts the brain. If the situation is dangerous or bad, the brain induces a negative action to counter the bad feeling. Visceral level of the brain is captured by high arousal or increased adrenaline rush that is associated with danger. To most people visceral levels dominates reflective level of the brain. A behavioral level of the brain is concerned with daily behavior of an individual and is often unconscious. It is associated with effectiveness and pleasure of doing or using something. This level of the brain can be enhanced or inhibited by the reflective layer of the brain but it can influence the visceral level. The third level of the brain is reflective level. Reflective level is contemplative and concerns itself with rationalization and intellectualization. It does not control the behavior directly because it does not have direct access to sensory input. It controls behavior indirectly by influencing the behavioral level of the brain and competes with visceral level. Affect and emotions are critical in decision making. This is because they influence decision making process in various ways. People make decision based on both immediate and expected emotions. First, immediate emotions affect decision on the basis of good or bad experiences at that particular time when decisions are made. Immediate emotions are affective and affect decision making directly or indirectly. Decision making can be influenced directly as they are made. For example, if a person feel fearful at a time when he or she makes decision concerning his treatment approach, he or she is likely to choose a less risky treatment approach even if the most risky option has better results. Emotions can also affect decision made indirectly by changing desirability or probability expectations of an anticipated future result. For example when a patient is feeling happy, he or she is likely to choose a riskier treatment option that has better future outcome as compared with the less risky outcome with poor future outcome (Kattan and Cowen, 2009). Immediate emotions are considered affect program emotions. They disrupt current actions and cognitive inputs making a person to alter his or her actions. Immediate emotions that influence decision making are categorized into negative and positive emotions. Negative emotions include anger, hate, anxiety, fear, worry and stress. Negative emotions make a person feel out of control. If a person has negative emotions, he or she is likely to make pessimistic, radical and aggressive decisions. Positive emotions include happiness, love, kindness and security. A person with positive emotions is more likely to make optimistic, cooperative and mild decisions. Immediate emotions change outcome or probability perceptions as well as the quantity and quality of processing relevant facts and signs for decisions. Secondly, expected emotions influence decision making. The emotional outcomes associated with a given decision affect decision making process. Often, people select actions that minimize negative emotions and maximize positive emotions. For example, a patient suffering from prostrate cancer may choose radiation treatment over surgical treatment because surgical treatment is likely to make him impotent. How it influence the design of specified interactive media production First, knowledge is embedded on human emotion, motivation and cognition space. As a result, the knowledge that is embedded in human emotion dictates persons’ judgment and attitudes concerning particular actions. Previous knowledge and experiences combined with attitudes and judgments to influence information processes. Furthermore, new knowledge or information influence individual emotions which in turn influence decision making. According to Lang et al. (2008), emotions influence the way information is transmitted, interpreted, represented and categorized. Consequently, it influences actions that are taken at any given time. Emotion also has a strong influence on individuals’ cognitive process. Emotions influence cognitive processing at all levels. Mild emotions helps a person to better recall past experiences while strong emotions such as intense fear may generate amnesia for certain events thus impairing decision making process (Blascovich et al. 2008). Emotions affect judgment. According to Norman (2004), Damasio’s study revealed that emotions are essential for choosing between two alternatives. A person without emotions cannot choose between alternatives. This is because it enables a person to be bias or judgmental towards a specific feeling. The role of emotions in decision making is evident when a person selects or decide on something and when asked why they settled on the decision, they fail to give the reasons and respond by saying that they just felt like deciding or choosing it. Emotions control muscles systems. Emotions work via neurochemicals. Neurochemicals influence specific brain centers and modify thought parameters which in turn influence perception, behavior and decision making of an individual. For example, when a person feels anxious, endangered or cornered, the neurotransmitters make the brain concentrate upon the present circumstances without distraction until answers are found. Negative effects makes a person detailed oriented. Consequently, the person is likely to be extra careful when making the decision because he or she is anxious. However, when a person is positive or happy, his or her neurotransmitters broaden the processing of the brain. As a result, muscles relax and a person becomes more creative, curious and allows the brain to effectively learn. When a person is happy, he or she is more likely to be receptive and is not concerned with details of a particular issue. Consequently, he or she is more likely to make decisions based on bigger picture instead of details. Emotions influence perceptual activity. For example, when a person washes and polishes his or her car, he or she feels better to drive. This creates the same feeling of a person who takes a shower and dress in clean fancy cloths. Furthermore, a person who has a good tool is also likely to feel better. Emotions can influence judgment directly. A judge is likely to give harsher judicial judgment decision to sentence a murder suspect if he or she watches a murder movie of unrelated crime just before handing over a judgment. This is because people in disgusting environment are more likely to exhibit increased levels of anger and outrage. A person may have a bad opinion about a marketer if he or she feels that he was short changed when he or she was buying an item. For example, a buyer may feel dissatisfied if he or she finds out that the product does not perform as indicated and will automatically have a negative opinion upon the seller and the company. Another example is that threatening faces send off a potential buyer while a cheerful behavior attracts a prospective buyer. Emotions influence the motivation of a decision maker. A person is motivated to make decisions that lead to positive outcome and avoid actions that caused trouble or pain to a decision maker. For example, if a person realizes that a new system is likely to make work easier for employees or workers, the person is likely to choose a new system. However, if the new system is likely to burden habitual work process or make working conditions worse or worse still, provoke laying off of some employees, the new system may not be adopted. Therefore, a person is likely to take on actions that arouse happiness, inspiration, openness and hope and avoid actions that arouse bitterness, war or mistrusts. How emotions influence the design of a specified interactive media Emotional system of an individual works hand in hand with his or her behavior and prepares the body to respond appropriately to a specific situation. Therefore, a specified interactive media should be developed in such a way that it appeals to emotional desires of people. It should generate happiness, pleasure and emotional intensity. Interactive media should have an improved impressions as well as value with feelings. In addition, it should enhance esteem of the user as well as provide safety and security to be attracted to person’s feelings. If an interactive media is associated with excitement, joy, interest, amusement, peace, trust and awe, it is likely to be received positively out of acceptance. On the other hand, if an interactive media is associated with distress, guilt, loneliness, horror and embarrassment it is likely to be out rightly rejected. Therefore, interactive media should make the user feel good. For example, an interactive media with appropriate features accompanied by attractive images and soft sounds are more likely to receive wider acceptance as compared with interactive media with ugly and loud sounds. For an interactive media system to be appealing to people, it should be in a position to determine things that are good or bad and safe or dangerous. Conclusion Intense and more complex emotions are more likely to disregard cognitive or rational input and affects decision making process. The choices that involve uncertainty, distance and risks are more likely to be influenced by emotions as compared to other choices. Visceral, behavioral and reflective levels are three levels of the brain that influence human emotions. Any interactive media must be appealing and emotionally intense to be accepted and applied by people. References Blascovich, J, National Research Council & Hartel, RC 2008, Human behavior in military contexts, National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. Kattan, WM & Cowen, EM 2009, Encyclopedia of medical decision making, Volume 2, Sage, London. Lang, M, Wojtkowski, G & Wojtkowski, W 2008, Information systems development: challenges in practice, theory, and education, Springer, New York 2008. Norman D 2004, Emotional design: why we love (or hate) everyday things, Basic groups, New York. Read More