X

Effective Decision Making

By Dr. Mohd. Muzamil   |   University of Kashmir
Learners enrolled: 2822
The course “Effective Decision Making” is an ability enhancement elective course in B.A. Psychology under the Choice Based Credit System. The main objective of this course is to help the students to learn various strategies which will enable them to make good decisions in life, with a special emphasis on the decisions regarding career, discovering self, learning about conflict management; negotiation, handling difficult people and finding solutions to the problems. Apart from this the course will also focus on the decision making at the workplace and developing competencies and skills required for effective decision making.

Summary
Course Status : Completed
Course Type : Elective
Duration : 4 weeks
Category :
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit Points : 2
Level : Undergraduate
Start Date : 15 Jul 2019
End Date : 10 Aug 2019
Exam Date :

Page Visits



Course layout

WEEK TITLE OF LECTURE/MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES CONTENTS DURATION GRADED ASSESSMENT
UNIT I: BASICS OF DECISION MAKING & PROBLEM SOLVING
WEEK-1
DAY-1 1.1 Decision making- an Introduction To understand the concept of decision making.
To understand nature of decision making.
To understand characteristics of decision making.
To understand various types of decisions.
To understand the various factors affecting decision making.
To understand the various theories of decision making.
Background 
Decision making 
Nature or Characteristics of Decision Making
Types of decisions.
Factors affecting decision making
Biases in decision making 
Theories of Decision making Quizzes/
Assignments








WEEK-1
DAY-2 1.2. Steps of Decision Making. To know about historical background of decision making.
To highlight contribution of leading philosophers in relation to decision making.
To understand what is a decision making style.
To understand various types of decision making styles.
To know about the steps of decision making
To understand the various steps of decision making

Background
History of Decision making
Decision making styles
Steps of decision making












       Quizzes/
Assignments






WEEK-1
DAY-3 1.3. Importance of making good decisions. Understanding the good decisions.
Understanding the importance of making good decisions.
Understanding the strategies of making good decisions.
How to make good decisions more likely.
Understanding the importance of making good decisions in management.
Understanding the process of teaching of making good decisions.
Background
Good Decisions
Strategies of making good decision making
Techniques/Tools Used in Good Decision Making
The Importance of making good decisions
Quizzes/
Assignments







WEEK-1
DAY-4 1.4.Principles of Decision Making ,Quick Decision Making &
Herbert Simon’s decision making model. To understand the principles of Decision Making. 
To understand Quick Decision Making. 
To know about rules of quick decision making.
To understand theoretical background regarding Herbert Simon’s Model. 
To know about steps of Simon’s Model of Decision Making.
To elaborate Simon’s Model of Decision Making.
Background
Principles of Decision Making
Quick Decision Making 
Herbert Simon’s decision making model 
Quizzes/
Assignments




WEEK-1
DAY-5 1.5. Decision making in relation to problem solving Understanding what are problems.
Explaining the various types of problems.
Understanding the problem solving cycle.
Linking Decision making to problem solving.
Understanding the differences between decision making & problem solving.
Problem solving 
Types of Problems
Problem solving cycle
Decision making related to Problem Solving
Unified model for decision making and problem solving
Problem Solving v/s Decision Making Quizzes/
Assignments




WEEK-2
DAY-1 1.6 Decision making in relation to creativity. To understand decision making in relation to creativity.
To understand what is creativity.
To know about creative decision making.
To understand the characteristics of a creative decision.
To highlight the characteristics of creative decision makers. 
Decision making in relation to creativity.
Process of creative decision making
Characteristics of a creative solution.
Decision making aspects of creativity
Characteristics of creative decision makers
Creative decision making in groups
Creating a climate for creative decision making. Quizzes/
Assignments




WEEK-2
DAY-2 1.7. Blocks in Problem solving.
Understanding the concept of Problem solving
Understanding the Gestalt Approach to problem solving.
Understanding the Neo Gestalt Approach to problem solving.
Understanding Blocks to problem solving and
Knowing aids to problem solving. Problem solving 
Gestaltists view on problem solving
Neo Gestalt view on problem solving.
Obstacles to problem solving
Aids in problem solving Quizzes/
Assignments








WEEK-2
DAY-3 1.8. Problems in Decision Making Understanding problems in decision making.
Understanding problems of decision making in organisations.
Understanding Data Related Problems.
Understanding common decision making problems by Goldman.
Understanding threats in decision making.


Problems in decision making
Problems of decision making in organisations
Common problems in decision making
Threats in decision making










Quizzes/
Assignments





WEEK-2
DAY-4 1.9. Decision making at the workplace & Workplace Problems. Understanding Decision making at workplace. 
Understanding the importance of decision making and assertiveness in the workplace.
To understand the decision making process 
To learn about some tips of decision making in the workplace.
To understand Workplace problems and the causes of workplace problems.
Importance of Decision Making & Assertiveness in the Workplace
The decision making Process
Common workplace problems
Causes of workplace problems Quizzes/
Assignments





WEEK-2
DAY-5 1.10. Strategies for dealing with workplace problems. To understand Concept of workplace problems.
To understand some practical strategies one can use to handle conflict in the workplace.
To understand strategies to resolve conflicts at workplace
To understand how psychotherapy can help with workplace issues
To understand the workplace challenges and the ideas to deal with them .
Defining workplace problems
Some practical strategies one can use to handle conflict in the workplace.
Strategies to resolve conflicts at work:
How psychotherapy can help with workplace issues
Workplace challenges and the ideas to deal with them:
Problems at the Workplace and the solutions:
Quizzes/
Assignments
Unit II: Decision Making & Psychology of Self.
WEEK-3
DAY-1 2.1. Developing competencies and skills required for effective decision making. To understand what are decision making skills.
To understand what are decision making competencies.
To understand various types of decision making skills.
To understand various types of decision making competencies.
To understand decision making techniques.
Meaning of decision making competencies and skills
Difference between skill and competency
Types of decision making skills
Decision making techniques by Paul Newton
Quizzes/
Assignments







WEEK-3
DAY-2 2.2. Decisions regarding the career. To understand the concept of career decision making.
To analyse the steps involved in career decision making.
To gain the knowledge about the theoretical approach to career decision making.
To analyse the Factors influencing career choices.
To gain the knowledge about career decision making styles.
To understand four ways to help you make a tough career decision.
To gain the knowledge about how to make a career choice when you are undecided.
Concept of career decision making
Steps involved in career decision making
Theoretical Approaches of Career Decision-Making
Factors influencing career choice:
Career decision making styles:
How to make a career choice when you are undecided
Quizzes/
Assignments
WEEK-3
DAY-3 2.3 Discovering the self.( Real Self v/s Ideal Self; Self Esteem & Self Actualisation) To understand the nature of self
To understand the aspects of self
To understand the nature of discovery of self
To understand the elements of self-discovery
To understand the Socrates principles of self-discovery
To understand the theories of self-discovery
Self
Nature of the self
Aspects of the self 
Self-discovery
Elements of self-discovery
Principles of self-discovery
Theories of self-discovery Quizzes/
Assignments







WEEK-3
DAY-4 2.4Psychological explanation of self – Carl Roger’s Theory & Abraham Maslow’s Theory. To understand the nature of Rogerian self
To understand conditional and unconditional self
To understand Congruence and incongruence
To understand the concept of a Fully Functioning Person
To understand Abraham Maslow’s self actualization
To understand Hierarchy of needs
Characteristics of self actualized person
Carl Rogers Self Theory of Personality Development
Maslow's Theory of Self-Actualization
Quizzes/
Assignments




WEEK-3
DAY-5 2.5.Psychological explanation of self – Alfred Adler’s Theory & Sigmund Freud’s layers of self To understand self in light of Adler’s theory.
To understand the various aspects of Adler’s theory.
To understand self in light of Freud’s theory.
To understand the various aspects of Freud’s theory.
To understand personality development in light of Freud’s theory.
Alfred Adler’s theory of self
Freud’s layers of self
Dynamics of personality Quizzes/
Assignments
WEEK-4
DAY-1 2.6. Creating a healthy acceptance of self. To understand the concept of self-acceptance.
To know about the importance of self-acceptance.
To know about ways for healthy acceptance of self.
To understand how to balance the desire for self-acceptance vs. self-improvement.
To understand self-acceptance from a positive psychological perspective.
Self Acceptance
The Importance of Self Acceptance
The emotional and physical consequences of low self-acceptance
Ways to increase  self-acceptance
Balancing the Desire for Self-Acceptance vs. Self-Improvement
Self acceptance in relation to positive psychology
Quizzes/
Assignments




WEEK-4
DAY-2 2.7. Learning to connect the self with vocational choices/career. To understand what is career.
To understand how to connect self with career.
To gain an understanding into the theoretical background regarding connecting self with career.
To know the strategies one can use to connect self with career.
To describe the strategies one can use to connect self with career.
Career.
Holland Theory of Vocational Types
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory
Super’s theory of Career Development.
Learning to connect the self with vocational choices/career
Quizzes/

Books and references

Edwards, W., & von Winterfeldt, D. (1986). Decision analysis and behavioral research. Cambridge University Press, 604, 6-8.
Wasserman, D., Lempert, R. O., & Hastie, R. (1991). Hindsight and causality. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 17(1), 30-35.
Adair, J (2007). Decision making and problem solving strategies. Kogan Page Limited
Kalantari, B. (2010). Herbert A. Simon on making decisions: enduring insights and bounded rationality. Journal of Management History, 16(4), 509-520 .
Buchanan,L. &O'Connell, A. (2006). A Brief History of Decision Making. Harvard Business review.
Akrani,G. (2011).Importance of Decision Making in Management. Kalyan City Life: Sharing Wisdom and Vivid Memories of Life.
Newell, A., & Simon, H. A. (1972). Human problem solving (Vol. 104, No. 9). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Braisby, N., & Gellatly, A. (2005). Foundations of cognitive psychology. Cognitive Psychology, 1-32
Davidson, J. E., & Sternberg, R. J. (Eds.). (2003). The psychology of problem solving. Cambridge university press.
Goldstein, E. B. (2014). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience. Nelson Education.

Instructor bio

Dr. Muhammad Muzamil Kumar works as Assistant Professor at Department of Psychology University of Kashmir. He has been awarded Ph.D from University of Kashmir and has also qualified NET & SET Examination, conducted by UGC. Apart from having one Gold Medal to his credit, he has also received many best research presentation awards at various conferences. He has published eleven research papers and has participated in eighteen national/international conferences. Dr.Muzamil has got specialisation in organizational behaviour, biopsychology and psychometrics and is currently coordinating Spoken Tutorial Project- IIT Mumbai & MOOC on effective decision making- sponsored by UGC.

Course certificate

30% for in course assessment & 70% of end term proctored exam.


MHRD logo Swayam logo

DOWNLOAD APP

Goto google play store

FOLLOW US