People deal with stress in different ways. Some say they’re able to generate more creative ideas when the pressure is on. Others claim that they can’t concentrate at all when they’re stressed. No matter what applies to you, one thing is for sure: stress makes you think differently. According to a study published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, people who are stressed tend to favor the positive aspects of their situation rather than the negative ones.

Say you’re under pressure to choose a job you want. This new job has a great salary, but it’s located on the far side of town. Which factor do you think would be more likely to push you into making a decision? Researchers say that the positive factor will probably weigh more than the other. You might be more inclined to take the job because your attention is on the pay raise rather than the poor commute.

It’s possible that addicts are constantly under stress, which is why they have such a hard time resisting their rewards. If drugs are the only positive thing they can see in the room, then it’s no surprise addicts keep abusing them.

In addition to this discovery, researchers also found out that men and women deal with risks differently when they’re stressed. Men, it seems, become risk-takers when under duress. Driven by the fight or flight response, they are quick to say yes to a risky move. Women, on the other hand, play it safe. They prefer to take things slow and reassess the situation.

Now that you know how stress affects your decisions, perhaps you’ll be able to make wiser choices in the future. Before you rush to make a choice, remember that there are two sides to every coin.


For more on decision-making, check these out on FN:

• Head over Heart: What We Instinctively Choose First
• Don't Second-Guess Yourself--Learn to Live with Your Choices for a Happier You
• Choosing Joy: Make Happier Choices by Measuring Their Opportunity Costs

Keep stress at bay with these tips:

• 8 Self-Care Strategies for a Happier, Stress-Free You
• New Study: De-Stressing Is Good for Your Skin
• Burnout Busters: 8 Stress-Relief Techniques for Career Women
• Bye-Bye, Burnout: Schedule Your Downtime for Better Work-Life Balance
• The Stress Files: 10 Most Common Reasons for Fatigue

(Photo by Hammonton Photography via Flickr Creative Commons)