Tricky Intuitions

Table of contents

(1) Introduction

(2) Entrance into the unconscious

(3) Intuitions

(4) Helpful Intuitions
a. Drawing Cards
b. CEO Decision Making

(5) Flaws of Intuitions
c. Warren G. Harding
d. Unconscious Discrimination

(6) Conclusion: Bush or Kerry?

(7) Sources

(1) Introduction

In 1920 Warren Gamaliel Bancroft Winnipeg Harding was elected the twenty-ninth President of the United States by a landslide victory of more than 60 % of all votes cast in favor of him. But how did he succeed in doing this? He simply convinced the most number of people in the country (at least the most electors representing the outcomes at the State’s ballots) to give him their vote. Harding’s almost only, but obviously extremely compelling argument was that he looked like a president, although he did not proof that he was fit for this job during his personal and political career so far. (Gladwell, 2007) (Warren G. Harding, 2007)

But what does this have to do with one’s unconscious? The unconscious enables one to make quick decisions despite an enormous number of information available that are needed to be taken into consideration. Experts who have gathered a remarkable experience in some area are able to come up with a decision concerning a complex matter within split seconds. That does not mean that they can proof anything; they just have a feeling. Assuming that they really know their field and have gathered remarkable experience, it is mostly correct, even if all the scientific analysis suggest differently.

Despite the flaws unconscious decision making still has, it is extremely important. Both rational and instinctive decision making are essential in our daily life. In some situations one has no choice, but to rely on one’s instincts and the results are similarly good as in lengthy, detailed analyses. But on the other hand in some situations one better relies on thorough, rational investigation and questions, if the result of one’s unconscious is in fact justified.

In the following paper I am going to discuss the unconscious and intuitive form of decision making. Therefore I am going to start with definitions and clarifications of the terms “unconscious” and “intuition”. Afterwards I will come to several examples of situations and point out how one can best make good decisions intuitively. Next, flaws of relying on one’s unconscious will be elaborated on and exemplified. Therefore I will also come back to the case of President Harding in more detail. Then I am going to continue this paper by contrasting two extreme cases of decision making that could be observed during the campaigns before the Presidential Elections of 2004 between the two candidates. Finally, I will conclude that both methods of decision making are necessary.

(2) Entrance into the unconscious

The unconscious, commonly also often referred to as the subconscious, is to be differentiated from unconsciousness. Unconsciousness is a state in which a person hardly or even not at all responds to any stimuli. The coma would be an example for this (Unconsciousness, 2007).

The unconscious describes a completely different subject, but it is also difficult to define since a vast number of characterizations exist. The idea itself is several centuries old, but then it was only very general and with always different details included. Many artists and philosophers also use the term indirectly and give it no name, but mention it implicitly. Most basic dictionaries can agree on some characteristics of the unconscious. They all describe it as some kind of cognitive process which one usually is not aware of. This means that there is a part in our mind which we actively cannot have immediate power over, but which works on its own and, if at all, influence can only be indirect and gradual.

The term was also coined by psychologists. Additionally, they have the opinion that in this section of one’s mind memories and motivations are stored. Those experiences either never have been conscious in the first place or they just moved from the conscious mind there over time. Although so far this might create the impression of a useful database, library or logbook inside of one’s head, there are several setbacks. First of all under normal circumstances one is not able to reach it, at least not willingly at any point of time one pleases, due to an automatic hesitation. For example, one might be distracted from something and forget that one intended to do something or one might be searching for an item and not remember where one put it until one finally finds it under the impression one always knew it, but could not reach this picture inside one’s mind. Besides, the unconscious also has a great influence on our behavior and attitude. This was especially discussed by Sigmund Freud.

Freud, as well as the psychiatrist Carl Jung, came up with additional characterizations for it. Both thought that is was possible and necessary to build a bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind and bring unconscious impressions to one’s active recollection. Through this method a person could gain control over one’s intuitions, which will be discussed in the following section, and urges. They also stress that the unconscious is not a constant set of information fixed at birth, but just like the conscious mind continuously changing with more and more data added constantly (Clark, 2007).

(3) Intuitions

Although the term “intuition” is used rather frequently in daily life, one hardly thinks of it as a scientific term and its meaning is quite unclear, since the word is used in scientific literature with several different connotations. To most people it should be clear that “intuition” describes some kind of faster and less structured decision making process, but to discuss this matter in further detail a clarification is required. Anatomically, it is argued that the left part of the brain is in charge of intuitive and unconscious thoughts, while the right hemisphere is responsible for rational and analytical decision making. Following the usage of the term by the most important scholars is possible to categorize the implications of the word “intuition” into six distinctive groups: Paranormal power, personality trait, unconscious process, set of actions, distilled experience and a residual category, which simply implicitly assumes that everything that does not belong to rational decision making automatically belongs to intuitions. Since this is rather vague I will not rely on it for the purpose of this paper. The other definitions are the following:

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