The Contribution of a Simple Decision Process (SDP) to Reducing Biases in Educational Decisions

Abstract

The use of intuition in educational decisions disposes educators to emotional arousal and biases. An excessively methodical approach is also criticized. This study tested a decision-making procedure, the Simple Decision Process (SDP), that integrates both approaches. One hundred and seventy four teachers studied a number of dilemmas (i.e., situations in which a decision must be made) and formulated decisions for each using three different decision-making procedures: (a) intuition; (b) a systematic procedure employing the Decision Support System (DSS); and (c) SDP. The dilemmas varied in the level of emotional arousal created. When the impact was limited, SDP and DSS decisions were similar; the intuitive process yielded different results. In a dilemma that aroused strong feelings, the intuitive and SDP results resembled each other but were different from DSS conclusions. The findings shed light on the potential latent in humans to make balanced and unbiased educational decisions without computerized support. The findings also illuminate the difficulty of making balanced judgments in a state of high emotional arousal.

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