What proof is there that emotions are such a powerful influence on decision making?
Yes, but. The emerging view, as we interpret it, is that emotions focus the rational mind and that it can be hard for the rational mind to challenge the boundaries provided by the emotions. So, yes, we can “think outside the box” i.e., beyond the focus provided by our emotions. But we all know how hard this is to do on our own. Of course, the ability to do this varies according the individual. Some are better than others. But even the best rely on listening to the views of others – think of JFK in the Cuban missile crisis. As for proof – no, it does not exist yet. Our knowledge of how the brain works is rapidly expanding but there is still a lot left to discover and even more to prove. But, equally, there is no proof that we are purely rational in our decision making and there is lots of evidence that, under certain circumstances, we make choices that are not rational (the work of Kahneman and Tversky for example).
