ABSTRACT
The intuitive approach to decision making appears to be chosen when facing: ill-structured problems; uncertain or dynamic environments; time stress; and high stakes. The intuitive approach is based on pattern recognition and experience, and goes within the military profession under terms such as fingerspitzengefuhl and coup d'oeil. The research field of Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) is largely concerned with intuitive decision making, and defines it as the way people use their experience to make decisions in field settings. Intuitive decision making is quick and happens with low cognitive control and low conscious awareness. The world is perceived here and now, and the information is not processed any further. The most salient problem with the experimental task is that grants are given for discrete periods. The most common misperception is the plateau depiction of the period with increased effectiveness, where a pointed peak would be most correct. The experimental task and associated system dynamics simulation model is described in detail in Bakken and Gilljam.
