ManagementLesson 2 of 6 in the course Managerial Decision-Making

Reflective and Reactive Decisions and Emotional Intelligence in Management

5 flashcards · 4 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Decision-making can happen through a quick, intuitive route or through a slower, more deliberate route. Understanding these two systems helps explain why people sometimes act immediately and at other times pause to analyze a situation.

The brain uses two broad routes to process information for decisions. The reflective system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. It involves taking time to consider information and reason through possible choices.

All flashcards

What is the reflective system?
A deliberate, logical, analytical, and methodical route for processing information and considering decisions.
What is the reactive system?
A fast, intuitive route that can use emotions, habits, and familiar cues to guide an immediate response.
Which brain areas are associated with the two systems?
The prefrontal cortex is more involved in reflective processing, while the basal ganglia and amygdala are more involved in reactive processing.
How can reactive decision-making help in an emergency?
It can prompt rapid action, such as a fight-or-flight response, without requiring a person to methodically weigh every option.
Why might an experienced manager trust a quick intuition?
Experience with similar situations can help the manager recognize cues and respond quickly, even if the reasoning is difficult to put into words.

Quiz questions

  1. What does emotional intelligence involve?Answer: Recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions in oneself and others.
  2. Which emotional-intelligence ability involves managing one’s emotional responses appropriately?Answer: Self-regulation.
  3. Which emotional-intelligence ability involves understanding others’ emotions and perspectives?Answer: Empathy.
  4. How can emotions contribute to a decision with ethical implications?Answer: They can signal concerns that a person can examine alongside the options.

Based on Principles of Management by David S. Bright, Anastasia H. Cortes, Eva Hartmann, K. Praveen Parboteeah, Jon L. Pierce, Monique Reece, Amit Shah, Siri Terjesen, Joseph Weiss, Margaret A. White, Donald G. Gardner, Jason Lambert et al. (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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