TED-Ed: How to make smart decisions more easily | TED-Ed

The video discusses a 2011 study on judges, revealing that decision fatigue affects parole decisions, with morning cases more likely to receive parole. Decision fatigue, a cognitive exhaustion from extended decision-making, impacts high-stakes scenarios and daily life. It explains how decision complexity and frequency affect fatigue, using breakfast and car replacement as examples. Professions like law and medicine face higher risks due to constant high-stakes decisions. Strategies to combat fatigue include reducing daily decisions, spreading tasks over days, and focusing on important choices.

What was the surprising factor that influenced parole decisions in the 2011 study?

• The length of the sentence

• The severity of the crime

• The time of day

• The behavior of the prisoner

What is decision fatigue?

• A mental exhaustion from prolonged decision-making

• A physical exhaustion from lack of sleep

• A condition caused by poor diet

• A state of confusion due to too many choices

Which type of decision is less likely to cause decision fatigue?

• Choosing a new car

• Deciding on a career change

• Selecting a breakfast option

• Planning a vacation

Why is decision fatigue particularly concerning in the medical field?

• Doctors work in noisy environments

• Hospitals are understaffed

• Medical decisions are often life-or-death

• Doctors have too many patients

What is one strategy to combat decision fatigue in daily life?

• Relying on others to make decisions

• Spreading decisions over multiple days

• Avoiding decisions altogether

• Making all decisions in the morning