Make
Better Decisions If you have a difficult decision to make, try this well-tested method Tom G. Stevens PhDPsychologist/Professor Emeritus, California State University, Long Beach Send Feedback/Questions to: Tom.Stevens@csulb.edu You Can Choose To Be Happy: Site dedicated to enhancing human happiness, self-development, and success SITE MAP: All free Self-help resources includes online book, You Can Choose To Be Happy, and SHAQ |
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(CAREER) SELECTION CRITERIA | WEIGHTS | IDEAL | PSYCHOLOGY | COMPUTER SCIENCE |
Income |
9 |
+5 (45) |
+2 (18) |
+4 (36) |
Vacation |
7 |
+5 (35 ) |
+5 (35) |
+2 ( 14) |
Helping Others |
10 |
+5 ( 50) |
+4 ( 40) |
+4 ( 40) |
Future job options |
8 |
+5 ( 50) |
+3 ( 24) |
+4 (32) |
Supply/demand |
6 |
+5 ( 30) |
-1 ( -6) |
0 ( 0) |
Working hours |
3 |
+5 ( 15) |
+4 ( 12) |
+3 ( 9) |
Opportunity to teach others |
9 |
+5 ( 45) |
+5 ( 45) |
+4 (36) |
Helping personal interactions |
10 |
+5 ( 50) |
+5 ( 50) |
+1 ( 10) |
Security/retirement plans |
5 |
+5 ( 25) |
+4 ( 20) |
+3 ( 15) |
Enjoyment socialize with peers |
5 |
+5 ( 25) |
+4 ( 20) |
+4 ( 20) |
Opportunity to make own decisions |
9 |
+5 ( 45) |
+4 ( 36) |
+3 ( 27) |
Freedom for personal life as want |
8 |
+5 ( 40) |
+5 ( 40) |
+5 ( 40) |
Opports for continued learning |
6 |
+5 ( 30) |
+4 ( 24) |
+4 ( 24) |
Physical work environment |
2 |
+5 ( 10) |
+3 ( 6) |
+2 ( 4) |
Psychological environ & stress |
3 |
+5 ( 15) |
0 ( 0) |
-1 ( -3) |
Variety of work |
5 |
+5 ( 25) |
+2 ( 10) |
+3 ( 15) |
Opportunities for creativity | 7 | +5 ( 35) | +3 ( 21) | +4 ( 28) |
TOTAL POINTS (add "happiness points" in parentheses) |
570=possible |
( 347)
|
( 405)**
|
** is the WINNER-it has the most points
of the two alternatives
STEPS TO USING THE DECISION-MAKING MODEL--(use above example);
STEP 1-- LIST YOUR CAREER ALTERNATIVES. This is your refined
list of alternatives of which majors or occupations you are trying to decide between.
Remember, that you can list as many as you want. You can list unusual combinations
of simpler alternatives. For Henry those narrowed alternatives were psychology and
computer science.
STEP 2--CAREER SELECTION CRITERIA. Review your Career Selection
Criteria list and write all the important career selection criteria in the far left
column. Note that repeating the same idea or leaving out an important idea can affect
the decision outcome.
STEP 3-- CRITERIA WEIGHTS. Evaluate the relative importance
to you of each of your Career Selection Criteria on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being
the most important);. Write your answer in the column next to the selection criteria.
STEP 4--ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION SCALE. Each alternative is to be evaluated from the point of view of each selection criterion. You need to think about what this means for each selection criterion. For example Henry determined that for the selection criteria of income, a "minimally acceptable" income would be $25,000 starting with prospects of making up to $50,000 eventually. An outstanding salary would be starting at about $40, 000 with prospects of making up to $100,000.
+5 = Maximum evaluation--outstanding (example: income begin $40,000 go to $100,000 +4, +3, +2, +1 = intermediate values
0 = Minimally acceptable value. (example: income = begin $20,000 go to $45,000);
-1, -2, -3, -4 = intermediate values
-5 = Minimum evaluation--worst possible (example: income < $10,000
STEP 5--EVALUATE EACH ALTERNATIVE BY EACH SELECTION CRITERION.
Use the evaluation scale from step 3 to evaluate each alternative from the point
of view of each Career Selection Criterion. Give it rating from -5 to +5. In the
example above, both alternatives were evaluated on the criterion of "income": Henry
gave the psychology income an evaluation of "+2" and computer science income an
evaluation of " +4."
STEP 6--MULTIPLY THE CRITERIA WEIGHTS TIMES THE EVALUATIONS.
In the example above for the selection criterion of "income," Henry multiplied the
criterion weight of "9" times the evaluation of " +2" for "PSYCH" to get a result
of "18." That is its SCORE OR POINTS for psychology on the criterion of income.
Put it inside of the parentheses. This score of 18 is an overall prediction much
Henry's income in psychology will contribute to his overall happiness. Since he
had a score of 36 in computer science, he his predicting that he will be much happier
with his income in that field.
STEP 7--FIND THE OVERALL SUM OF THE SCORES FOR EACH ALTERNATIVE.
Add together the numbers inside the parentheses for each alternative. In the example
above, the overall sum for the "PSYCH" alternative is "405."
STEP 8--COMPARE THE ALTERNATIVES WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE "IDEAL."
The "ideal" is the maximum possible number of points. Once you have determined
all the totals and compared them to each other, try to figure out why one alternative
came out ahead of another--where it got its points. Play with the points until you
think the points match your true feelings and values.
* The alternative with the most points is the one you are predicting will make you the happiest person.
1. 1 Some might argue that Freud was the first. He clearly did describe many helpful techniques. I think that some of his free association techniques are still very useful for helping to find underlying beliefs, images, or cognitive systems which are related to the problem. However, Rogers was the one that more clearly described the stages of self-exploration and problem-solving and the conditions of unconditional positive regard, empathetic understanding, and genuineness on the part of the therapist which seem to be important to the therapeutic process or to any person attempting to feel better.
Robert Carkhuff (one of Roger's pupils); has developed a structured training system for helping people learn these skills. Robert Cash, a personal friend, has further elaborated these skills in his own courses and introduced me to this process. There is a good deal of research supporting the effectiveness of these techniques.
2. 2 This statement does not address the use of punishment as a deterrent to prevent some persons from profiting from their dysfunctional behaviors. For example if behaviors such as murder, robbery, or selling drugs are not given sufficient punishment, some people will engage in these behaviors. A person whose ultimate concern is money and pleasure may deal drugs to make money with little regard to how it affects others. Increasing the cost for a person with those beliefs can reduce the chances they will sell drugs.
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