Under the influence of stress, we often make quick decisions with little information. Does it always work to our advantage? The mechanisms that guide us have been investigated by dr hab. Szymon Wichary, psychologist from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
For theSOURCESproject, scientists created a specialcomputer modelto compare rational decisions with those made under stress.
To make this possible, the computer had to compilecomplete informationthat we have at our disposal under normal circumstances, where we can weigh up the pros and cons, andtruncated information , which we have at our disposal in a stressful situation, e.g. under the influence of strong emotions related to a pandemic, accident or cataclysm.
The computer model usesimpulse neural networks(so-called SNN), i.e. artificial networks that imitate the work of real neurons in our brain. "It is a computer program that simulates the operation of nine thousand neurons grouped into populations that reflect the parts of the brain involved in making decisions. Thanks to this, the decisions made by this model are compared with those made by people" - explains Dr. Szymon Wichary, psychologist at SWPS University. .
The next step was to study the students who were to solvecomputer problemrequiring a decision. It consisted in judging which diamond would get the higher price, of course, after analyzing several criteria.
The test was carried out usingeye-tracking , i.e. tracking the movement of the eyeballs, andEEG . A mechanism was used here, which causes our pupils to dilate under the influence of excitation, which may be the result of, for example, stress. It is controlled by deep subcortical structures in the brain that are beyond our control.
As emphasized by the author of the study, Dr. Szymon Wichary, tracking changes in the size of the pupil allowed insight into the stress level of the subjects, while the EEG (i.e. a record of the activity of our brain waves) allowed us to track the reaction of the cerebral cortex to the information that reached them.
The third part of the SOURCES project was a studyof website user behaviorof an international company Bidfood (food suppliers for restaurants and hotels) using an eye tracker.The respondents played the role ofcustomersand placed orders on the company's website under time pressure or without time pressure. The participants of the study were asked about the subjective feeling of effort (cognitive and physical) related to the performance of the task. Additionally, the pupil size was measured with the help of an eye tracker during these purchases.
Research shows that performing the taskunder time pressurewas associated with a greater subjectively perceivedcognitive effort . Also, the indexphysiological- pupil size - showed differences between the two conditions. Completing the task under time pressure was associated with greater pupil dilation. Moreover, people under time pressure scanned the pagemore briefly , not focusing too long onrelevant information .
What does this mean?
Well, time pressure results in increased nervous system excitation, which leads to morecursory information processing . Can we make the right decision in this state? Doubtful.
The SOURCES project: the impact of arousal on the use of rational and heuristic decision strategies was realized by a team led by Dr. hab. Szymon Wichary, a psychologist from the SWPS University.