Learn
The Decision-Making Process
Decisions?
How many decisions have you made today?
Which ones had an impact on your health?
Decisions Impact Health
Every time we eat or drink, we make decisions that impact our health.
We decide every day whether we will exercise and how long we will sleep. We are often faced with decisions about tobacco, alcohol, drugs, the Internet, and many risky behaviors.
When faced with these choices, what is the best way to make a decision?
Values
Approaching each decision, it is important to know your personal values.
- What are the values you do not want to compromise?
- What values do you want to promote in making choices?
- What are healthy boundaries in relationships?
- How do your religious beliefs influence your choices regarding alcohol, drugs, and intimacy?
- Should you be more concerned about living for today or about the long-term consequences of your choice?
Influences
Our values and behaviors are influenced by our family, culture, school, community, media, and social norms.
Two of the biggest influences on our decisions are our families and our friends.
While our values and beliefs tend to be similar to the values of our parents, others influence us as well. Our friends can influence us to make decisions that promote our well-being or put us and those we love at risk.
We tend to move toward the values of those we interact with most. Furthermore, others often judge us by the people with whom we spend our time. It is important to spend time with friends who share our values.
Barriers
Just because you know what is healthy and what is right does not mean it is easy to do. There can be barriers in your way.
Peer pressure influences our behavior. It can influence us in healthy or unhealthy ways. For example, if our peers all wear a seatbelt, it is easy for us to put one on too. If our friends don’t wear a seatbelt, chances are we won’t either even though we know that is a poor decision and can lead to serious injury.
Socio-economic factors may affect our decision-making too. Healthy foods often cost more than unhealthy foods. Some people might lack the income to purchase healthier foods. This forces them to purchase unhealthy foods.
To live a healthy life, we have to find ways to overcome barriers and make wise decisions.
Media
Media influences our decision-making because it is all around us. We are bombarded by it constantly.
Social media may have the biggest influence on us. Who we follow on social media can be a reflection of our values and decision-making. If we see violence, you might believe violence is okay. If we see pictures that are altered, we might think we are not perfect enough. If we see a person with thousands of followers, we might think we are not popular enough. When we stop and look back on our personal values, we realize that violence is not okay, no one is perfect, and that being the most popular might not be what we really value.
Check the media around you, especially social media. If it does not reflect your values, you might want to consider making some changes.
Social Norms
People are also influenced by social norms. Social norms are behaviors that are typical and acceptable for a particular group of people.
Social groups have norms for styles of dress, behaviors, and ways of thinking about things. Sometimes people, especially during adolescence, want to blend in and go along with social norms. Some social groups have norms that lead to choices that promote our long-term well-being. It is important to recognize when social norms help us and when they hurt us. Following the crowd can lead to choices we regret.
Wise choices promote our long-term health and safety. The decision-making process is designed to help us use our own best judgment to make good choices.
Process
Every decision can be made by following the same process. By applying this process and making thoughtful decisions, you are likely to make decisions that keep you healthy and happy. The more you practice the process, the easier it will become.
Step 1: Clarify Your Values
As previously stated, the first step in making good decisions is clarifying your values. As you move through the process, your values will guide you through each step.
Step 2: Isolate the Decision
Next, examine the situation and isolate the decision you are trying to make.
Step 3: Gather Information
When you are clear about the decision that needs to be made, gather information from reliable sources to help you make the best decision. For ethical and moral decisions, your parents or other trusted adults are good sources of information and support. Individuals with expertise in the area in question, such as your physician, pharmacist, or physical therapist can provide reliable information. The internet includes valuable resources, but always evaluate sites for bias and accuracy. Check out the NIH's Online Health Information: Is It Reliable? for some helpful suggestions.
Step 4: Analysis
When you have enough information, analyze your choices. Begin brainstorming options and consider the consequences of each. Examine possible benefits and drawbacks of each choice. Analyze each option in terms of your values. Eliminate any option that is unethical, illegal, immoral, or goes against any of your values. Consider options that are ethical and consistent with your values.
Step 5: Make a Choice
Based on your analysis of all possible options, choose the best option and act on it.
Step 6: Evaluation
Evaluate your outcomes and determine whether you achieved the outcome you desired. Based on your evaluation, determine next steps. What could you do differently next time to improve your outcomes?