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ePaper created 2013-04-09, 17:43:56 | version 1.25.6
12 F or some of us, the first decision must be taken in front of the ward- robe every morning: Which tie do I wear? Plain or patterned? This may be a gut decision or require some thought, depending on the appointments sched- uled for the day, or on the mood. Even the weather may play a role. Doctors, paramedics and managers, however, are required to take much more complex and serious decisions every day. It may be a matter of life or death, of saving or slashing jobs, of capital and livelihoods. It is not just since the rise and fall of many an investment bank that econo- mists ask themselves: How do we make decisions? THE BRAIN IN ACTION A new branch of research – neuro- economics – is attempting to provide new answers. It combines questions from economics with findings from brain re- search. Jülich researcher Dr. Dr. Svenja Caspers is familiar with both worlds: she has degrees in business studies, in eco- nomics, and in medicine, and is therefore well acquainted with studies on decision- Whether they’re stockbrokers, chief executive officers or department heads, executives take decisions all day long. This apparently means that certain areas in their neuronal networks are more active than in those without managerial responsibilities. This has been shown in a study by Dr. Dr. Svenja Caspers and her team from Forschungszentrum Jülich together with business psychologists and sociologists from the University of Cologne. makers such as doctors and managers. “Previous studies on those working in professions requiring immediate, intui- tive decisions based on certain rules and patterns were purely empirical The first decision of the day: Which tie do I wear? Research in Jülich 1|2013