A Good Day for a Bad Decision

Have you ever noticed that some people always seem to make the right choices? They may be the person who always picks the right pitch to swing at, or the one who always picks the pair of shoes that quickly become a popular fad. On the other hand, some people never seem to make a good decision. They may be the kids who ride a bike down a steep hill and crash into a bush or the ones who step to the edge of a sidewalk in time to get splashed by a car. How do some always seem to be living the good life while others seem doomed to misery? Is this just a matter of luck?

While luck probably has something do with it, the better explanation may be that the two groups have differences in the development of their brains. You see, most adult humans use their cerebral cortex to make decisions. The cerebral cortex is the part of the brain in the front of your head that deals with how you perceive the world and respond appropriately. It also helps you control your impulses. This part of the brain is still growing and developing connections well into your adult years. So for young adults and teenagers, the decision-making center of the brain is not completely formed yet.

At the same time, the teenage brain is also experiencing growth in another part of the brain—the amygdala (a-mig-dala). This part of the brain is responsible for emotions. Specifically, the amygdala talks to other parts of the brain about events related to rewards and fear.

In essence, our emotional brains are having growing spurts and our impulses are out of control at the same time our cerebral cortexes are not finished growing. We simply don't have the tools to control those emotions and impulses. As a result, teenagers feel overly emotional and wishy-washy when it comes to decisions. This development cycle is one reason society doesn't consider children to be adults until after they are 18. Biologically, the teenage brain is not generally ready for adult decisions.

So the differences between those who seem to make good decisions and those who seem to make bad ones may be fewer than you think. In fact, if you study the people you think make only good decisions, you will likely find they also make some catastrophically bad ones as well. A person's ability to make a good decision increases with age and experience though we all develop at different rates. While you are young, you may want to take advantage of those around you with bigger cerebral cortexes: adults. Their advice may be just what is needed to counter your amygdala.

What does the author believe about luck and decisions?

Luck plays only a small role in good decisions.
Luck determines the outcome of many decisions.
Lucky people have older brains than unlucky people.
Lucky people have more experience than unlucky people.