ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the decision-making process, and considers how the nature of the context impacts upon the decision made. It also considers what happens to decision-making processes under conditions of pressure, and explores a range of factors that can either directly or indirectly impact upon decision-making. The concept of intuitive decision-making has been explored in various fields of social life, work, sport, and business. In the broader psychological literature three main perspectives have been adopted in seeking to understanding the process of decision-making for action: classic decision-making theory, naturalistic decision-making theories, and ecological approaches. Traditionally, emotion has been thought to have a negative impact on decision-making ability. The characteristics of the decision-maker, the decision domain, and decision context have specifically been highlighted as important in impacting upon risk-taking behaviour. The process of memory integration determines the individual's preferences for specific alternatives, with preferences formed when individuals retrieve from memory a set of questions regarding the attributes of alternative choices.
