Decisions Are Emotional, Not Logical
Neuroscientific research by Antonio Damasio reveals that emotions are essential for decision-making; individuals with impaired emotional processing struggle to make even simple choices. This principle challenges the assumption that logic alone drives decisions, especially in negotiation, where understanding emotional factors is key.
THE IDEA
Decisions Are Emotional, Not Logical
When it comes to making a choice, emotions are very important as you make the decision. Truth be told, even what we accept as coherent choices are ostensibly dependent on emotion.
Think about a circumstance where you had impenetrable facts, reason, and logic on your side, and believed there was absolutely no chance the other person could disagree with your perfectly constructed argument and proposal. To do so would be unimaginable, you thought, because there was no other logical solution or answer. And then, the other person dug in their heels and wouldn't move. They weren't influenced by your logic. Were you confused?
This is similar to what many negotiators do when they sit down at the table to work out an agreement. They come armed with facts and use logic to persuade the other party. They assume that piling on data and using reason to explain their side will build an undeniable case and convince the other party to say yes. They're doomed, however, because decision-making isn't logical—it's emotional, according to the latest findings in neuroscience.
A few years ago, neuroscientist Antonio Damasio made a groundbreaking discovery. He studied individuals with damage to the brain regions where emotions are generated. He found that they appeared normal except they couldn't experience emotions. Yet they all shared a peculiar trait: they couldn't make decisions. They could describe what they should do in rational terms, but they found it hard to decide even simple things like what to wear. Many choices have pros and cons on both sides (e.g., chips or meat?). With no rational way to choose, these guinea pigs were unable to arrive at a decision. Even with what we view as rational choices, the purpose of making a choice depends on feeling.
This finding has major implications for negotiation experts. People who believe they can build a case solely on the power of their reasoning are arguably poor negotiators. This is because they don't take time to understand the factors that lead opponents to make certain decisions. Those who base their exchange strategy on logic end up relying on assumptions, suppositions, and conclusions. If my side is logical, they think, then the other side can't argue with it and will have to come around to my view. The problem is, you can't expect the other party to see things your way.
What the negotiator can and should do is create a vision for the other side to realize discovery and choice on their part. Ultimately, your rival will decide because they want to. Getting them to want to, using the step-by-step philosophy that is part of the Camp System, is the job of the negotiator—not trying to convince them with reason.
You don't tell your rival what to think or what's best. You help them discover for themselves what feels right and best and most profitable for them. Their ultimate decision is based on personal commitment. That is emotional. "I want this. This is good for me and my side."
When to use it
When negotiating a business deal, focus on identifying the emotional needs and desires of the other party rather than just presenting logical arguments.
When making a personal career change, weigh how each option feels emotionally, not just the rational pros and cons.
When resolving a conflict with a colleague, first acknowledge the emotional factors at play before introducing logical solutions.
When choosing between two similar consumer products (e.g., smartphones), tune into your gut feeling to break the tie.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Logical Argument Meets Resistance
You prepare a bulletproof logical argument for a proposal, expecting the other person to agree. Instead, they dig in their heels and reject it, leaving you confused. Logic alone cannot persuade—emotions underpin the decision.
Damasio's Brain-Damaged Patients
Antonio Damasio studied patients with damage to brain areas that generate emotions. Despite being intellectually intact, they struggled to make even basic choices (e.g., what to wear) because they lacked the emotional signals that guide decision-making.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Think of a recent difficult decision you made. What role did your emotions play in reaching a conclusion?
In a negotiation you were involved in, how did understanding the other person's emotional state affect the outcome?
Consider a time when you tried to convince someone purely with facts and logic. Why did that approach fail, and what could you have done differently?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Thinking in Systems and Mental Models Think Like a Super Thinker (Dawson, Marcus P)