Ever notice how knowing better doesn’t always mean doing better? Scientists have been studying this interesting disconnect between what we know and how we act. They call it dysrationalia – when we make irrational choices despite having all the knowledge to make better ones.
Research shows this happens to everyone, no matter their education level or intelligence. It’s not about smarts – it’s about how our brains handle real-world decisions.
Think about those times you’ve bought something expensive you didn’t need, even though you were trying to save money. Or when you’ve put off an important task knowing it would make things more stressful later. These aren’t signs of lacking intelligence – they’re examples of how our brains sometimes take shortcuts in decision-making.
Scientists studying this found something fascinating: our brains actually prefer quick, emotional responses over careful thinking. Even when we have all the knowledge needed to make a good decision, we often rely on gut feelings or mental shortcuts instead of really thinking things through.
The good news? Understanding how this works helps us make better choices. Studies show we can develop better decision-making skills by slowing down our thought process. It’s as simple as taking a moment to pause before making important decisions, asking ourselves why we’re making certain choices, and learning to recognize when emotions might be clouding our judgment.
What I find most interesting about dysrationalia is that it explains why knowing something isn’t always enough to prevent us from making irrational choices. We might know all about healthy eating but still, grab that late-night junk food. Or understand compound interest perfectly well but still rack up credit card debt.
Knowledge and rational decision-making are different skills. Just like we can improve at solving math problems or learning a new language, we can get better at making rational choices. The key is recognizing when we might be falling into irrational thinking patterns and taking that extra moment to think things through.
Have you ever caught yourself making a decision you knew wasn’t totally logical? Understanding dysrationalia helps explain why – and shows us we’re not alone in experiencing this very human tendency.
References:
- Yale School of Management. (2009). Why Smart People Do Dumb Things. https://som.yale.edu/news/2009/11/why-smart-people-do-dumb-things
- Clearer Thinking. (2023). What is Dysrationalia and Why Trust Can Make You Irrational. https://www.clearerthinking.org/post/what-is-dysrationalia-and-why-trust-can-make-you-irrational
- TalentDevelop. (2021). Dysrationalia: Defects in Real-World Intelligence. https://talentdevelop.com/2279/dysrationalia-defects-in-real-world-intelligence/
- Kialo Blog. (2023). Critical Thinking and Rational Thinking. https://blog.kialo-edu.com/critical-thinking/rational-thinking/
- Change Your Thinking. (2023). How to Correct Your Thinking Using Rational Disputing. https://changeyourthinking.com/how-to-correct-your-thinking-using-rational-disputing/
- University of Toronto Magazine. (2022). Why People Are Irrational. https://magazine.utoronto.ca/research-ideas/culture-society/why-people-are-irrational-kurt-kleiner/
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