1. Why Did I Just Do That? (Making Decisions) Dr. Kay Potetz Cleveland, Ohio kpotetz@aol.com www.DRKKP.com National Association of State Veteran’s Homes Thursday July 12, 2012

2. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 2 The mystery of how we make decisions is one of the many things that has been unexplainable to us.

3. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 3 When buying a house, for example, we let our unconscious mull over many variables, i.e., taxes, school systems, access to public transportation, location, etc?

4. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 4 But when picking a stock, intuition often leads us astray.

5. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 5 How about yourself? Have you ever made a decision or done something, but couldn’t explain, “Why?”

6. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 6 We are defined by our decisions. Yet rarely do we consider exactly what goes on inside our heads during the decision making process.

7. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 7 Actually, the brain continues to be somewhat of a mystery to us today.

8. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 8 It takes 8 milliseconds for a signal to get to the Amygdala and set off defensive and stressed memories. We feel “fight or flight.” It takes that same signal 40 milliseconds to get to the Hippocampus (the reasoning & thinking part of the brain). Joseph LeDoux New York University

9. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 9 But, how do we make a decision?

10. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 10 For years we’ve been arguing about the “workings” of the mind.

11. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 11 The most popular theory frames “decision making” in epic terms, as a battle between reason and emotion, with reason often triumphing. Jonah Lehrer

12. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 12 After all, what separates us from animals is the ability to reason.

13. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 13 In essence, many philosophers believed that it was our feelings that prevented us from making rational decisions.

14. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 14 The truth is far more interesting: If it weren't for our emotions, reason wouldn’t exist at all. Jonah Lehrer

15. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 15 A brain that cannot feel cannot make up its mind. This of course makes feelings quite important. Jonah Lehrer

16. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 16 Scientists now know that this neurotransmitter, Dopamine, helps to regulate ALL of our emotions, from the first stirrings of love to the most visceral forms of disgust. Jonah Lehrer

17. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 17 Within milliseconds of disappointment, the brain generates a unique electrical signal, known as error-related negativity. Jonah Lehrer

18. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 18 We can finally understand and appreciate the surprising wisdom of our emotions. Human emotions are rooted in the predictions of highly flexible brain cells, which are constantly adjusting their connections to reflect reality. Jonah Lehrer

19. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 19 Every time you make a mistake or encounter something new, your brain cells are busy changing themselves. Neurons continually incorporate new information, turning a negative feeling into a teachable moment. Josh Lehrer

20. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 20 This can be problematic to us because the same circuits that are so good at tracking food rewards, etc., fail completely in utterly unpredictable situations. Jonah Lehrer

21. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 21 From the perspective of the brain, there exists a thin line between a good decision and a bad decision. Jonah Lehrer

22. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 22 How can I apply this information to my life?

23. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 23 The trick is to determine when to use different parts of the brain, And to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think. Jonah Lehrer

24. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 24 The first step in making better decisions is to see ourselves as we really are, to look inside the black box of the human brain. We need to honestly assess our flaws and talents, our strengths and shortcomings. We finally have the tools to pierce the mystery of the mind, revealing the intricate machinery that shapes our behavior. Now we need to put this knowledge to work.

25. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 25 Questions to ask before acting: Do I WANT this, or NEED this ? Is this moving me toward my ultimate goal? Am I making this decision with a clear mind, or am I being influenced by the chemicals in my brain? If I’m being influenced by chemicals in my brain, what can I do to take my mind off of this feeling? GOOD LUCK! This requires practice.

26. Why Did I Just Do That? ©copyright 2012 Dr. Kay Potetz 26 References Begley, Sharon, (2007). Train Your Mind Change Your Brain. New York: Ballantine Books. Boyatzis, Richard; McKee, Annie, (2005). Resonant Leadership. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Boyatzis, R., Goleman, D., McKee, A., (2002). Primal Leadership. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Goleman, Daniel, (2006). Social Intelligence. New York: Bantam Books. LeDoux, J.E., (2000). “Emotion Circuits in the Brain.” Annual Review of Neuroscience. 23, 155-184. Lehrer, Jonah, (2009). How We Decide. New York: Houghton Mifflin.