ABSTRACT
We make a multitude of decisions during our daily lives. Many are small and of little or no lasting consequence, but a few may have considerable long-term effects, both on ourselves and on others. Such decisions may be made on the spur of the moment, as instantaneous reactions to unexpected situations which fre quently arise, for example, when one is driving. Most require some consideration, however, but little forethought, because we have developed stereotyped reactions to certain stimuli - such as choosing from the lunch menu in a cafeteria. A few may be made only after careful and time-consuming deliberation. These are perhaps relatively rare, for few of us spend much of our lifetime making important decisions. The act of voting - or of deciding not to vote - may be an example of this type of decision, though undoubtedly all people do not accord it the same amount of consideration. Whatever the decision and the way it is reached, it is almost
certain that it will be guided, if not governed, by a relevant per sonal theory. To many, theory is a concept of the pure sciences, comprising a set of rules which describes and explains certain phenomena, such as the reactions when two chemicals are mixed. This theory is probably derived from previous experience (experi ment in the chemistry example), and so it can frequently be stated very succinctly in algebraic form. If there is no direct previous experience, however, the rules will be derived from related experiences (other experiments using slightly different chemicals), and will be phrased as a set of probable consequences requiring empirical verification.
