Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

Decision-making is pervasive in human behaviour. People make many decisions every day, but most are inconsequential. It is only when the outcome of a decision can be evaluated against some criterion that its quality and correctness can be assessed. However, such decisions are often taken in critical situations with time pressure, incomplete information, and conflicting goals. ‘Right’ and ‘wrong’ decisions are often judgements made in hindsight. This chapter examines the intimate relationship between the study of decision-making and human error and provides an overview of the three most common paradigms for its scientific study: normative decision-making, naturalistic decision-making, and process models of decision-making. This chapter ends by considering approaches to enhancing the quality of decision-making through training and decision-aiding.