Why You Picked This Course

Students examine human judgment and decision-making in "Why you picked this course."

What the course catalog says:

This course examines the psychology of human judgment and decision making. How do we make judgments? What influences our choices? Can we become better decision makers? Throughout the course, students will be exposed to basic models and strategies of decision making, with attention to its history and development within cognitive and social psychology and its impact on our everyday lives. We will explore how to make the most rational decisions in contrast to how people actually make decisions and how people should make decisions.

What the professor says:

By learning how humans make judgments and decisions, students can better understand how the world around them (and the people in it) functions and how best to navigate that world. Hopefully, students also came away with a better insight into their own decision processes.

One of the main advantages of a J-term course includes getting to know one another in the class at a deeper level, and I really appreciated the willingness of my students to engage with the material at a more personal level when relating class topics to everyday life experiences.

—Elaine Bossard, visiting assistant professor of psychology

What the students say:

The J-term format meant that I had more time in the afternoons to be able to do homework, which was necessary for a course with a heavy reading component like this one.

The knowledge I gained was rewarding for me on a personal level. There were a lot of things I didn't know about the judgment and decision-making process—especially what it entails to make a rational decision.

—Laurel Morris