Factors Influencing Human Behavior and Decision Making

This essay explores the different factors that influence human behavior and decision making, including social norms, incentives, and outcomes. It also discusses the debate on free will and how external factors shape our choices.

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Date: 25 July 2018
Human Behavior and Decision Making
Bible theory that God grants man the free will has its foundation on the fact that man
has the ability to predetermine an outcome (Thomas). This means that people can
choose heaven or hell by making the right choices. However, atheists may argue that
there is no free will in such notions because Christians base their decisions on
predetermined ideas presented in the Bible (Bhaskar 12). There are different factors
that influence human behavior. Some people make decisions about an action because
of internal factors while others do so out of external influence. When events or
happenings in a surrounding influence a person’s decisions, the individual has no
choice but to follow the trend. This raises questions about whether common sense is
really free will.
In order to prove that people do not have a choice when making a decision, it is
important to compare and contrast the different outcomes of an event. Behavioral
researchers point out those organizations can influence strategic results by
influencing people to produce a certain behavior outcome (Marler and Sandra 22). In
this case, a society can predict the performance of a team by initiating motivational
factors. This explains why prosperity preachers encourage more disciples by
testifying about the effect of giving as a solution to financial miracles. In a society

where everyone faces economic challenges, a positive message of proven results
sells more than a message of unseen hope. Therefore, people will give an offering in
order to escape the effects of poverty.
Principles that support the action and cause effects believe that social
(environmental) factors are critical in shaping behavior. In this case, religion, family
and society feature as some of the influencers of personal decisions. Consumer
analysts give focus on what shapes trends in the marketplace and why buyers prefer
organic products compared to inorganic ones. This defines change in behavior
caused by social norms, people’s attitudes and feelings. As a result, researchers will
use education status, income level, and age group or career trends as determinants to
social phenomenon. The technology age is clear evidence of how technology
influences people’s lifestyle choices (Kaufman 102). This refutes the notion that
people have the power to make independent choices based on instinct.
Incentives and outcomes influence decision-making based on social change. People
learn behavior but they also find motivation in the stimulus. When someone receives
a good outcome, others around him view this as a witness. The effect is likely to
produce a positive income. Reinforcement theory in Psychology encourages the use
of positive behavior in a learning environment as one way of encouraging
performance. Students who want to gain good grades invest in personal studies for
success. In order to encourage learners to pursue academic courses, learning
institutions embrace a competitive approach to learning in order to expose candidates
to the professional world (Ashley and Tracy 18). Marketable courses such as

Medicine, Law, ICT, and MBA become marketable because they give candidates an
edge.
Stimulus control is effective in law enforcement because it enhances good behavior.
Controlling criminal activities calls for the introduction of punishment in order to
discourage others from engaging in illegal activities. Positive behavior is effective is
it involves offering an opposite effect for negative behavior. In a society where rules
dictate right and wrong, policymakers have an opportunity to compare outcome.
However, what might work in one society might not work in another. Shaping
attitude and intentions through noticeable results is a result of observable
behavior (Hobman, Stenner, and Elisha 1390). Extrinsic rewards from external
factors cause people to adopt certain behavior hence prosocial behavior such as
doing legal business and obeying traffic rules suffice. Businesspersons choose
investment options by observing trends around their business environment.
Motivational theorists in psychology support the use of material interests as factors
for encouraging good behavior.
Sceptics of this theory support free will stating that it is impossible to mould
individuals. One example of an area of contention is in climate change. Changing
consumer behaviour about controlling pollution and waste management is a
challenge because people have personal preference and characters that are hard to
change (Urry 25). The saying that habit is second to nature complicates behaviour
change through social examples. Disadvantages of making decisions based on
external factors includes the sociobiological perspective associated with personality
traits. Predicting behaviour using outcome from other people’s experiences may not

produce optimal results. This gives room for more choices as factors for predicting
behaviour.
The decision making process is has benefits in problem solving approaches. Policy
makers, individuals and organizations base their judgment on the satisfactory
evidence of what they experience. For example, before allocating resources to a team
of professionals, training is necessary. This ensures that participants produce the
expected results of a process. Poor decisions tend to produce bad results. Risk
management entails an analysis of the risk, benefit factors. Avoiding risks starts with
an estimation of losses based on experiences. However, overgeneralisation in the
experimentation process may arise leading to substandard decisions. Making social
comparisons influences conformity but may not support total attitude change.
However, social norms and the effectives of adaptive behaviour continues to define
social influence.
In conclusion, decision-making is a process influenced by various factors.
Motivational factors such as rewards and incentives encourage social outcomes such
as ethical behaviour, consumer perception and learning. Both short term and long-
term outcomes depend on the perceived outcome. Although credibility is an issue of
concern in social influence, it is evident that people are comfortable with effective
solutions. Making decisions based on possible implications is one way to make
practical choices. There is proof that strategic implementation of decisions in
organisations continues to bear fruit. People choose a result oriented approach when
making decisions in order to avoid risks. Forming habits through routine is effective
because of external factors. Making desired decisions starts with the optimisation of

actions. This essay is proof that people do not choose to act out of a free will but
because of references from social approval.

Works Cited
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Thomas, Talbott. Heaven and Hell in Christian Thought. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy,
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