What is the impact of emotional reasoning on decision making?

Emotional reasoning significantly impacts decision-making by influencing how individuals perceive situations and the conclusions they draw from their experiences. When emotions play a dominant role in reasoning, they can lead individuals to prioritize feelings over factual evidence. This subjective perspective can obscure rational judgment, making it challenging to evaluate situations objectively.

For example, if someone feels anxious about a potential outcome, they might interpret all information through that lens of anxiety, potentially leading to an exaggerated sense of risk or danger. This can result in decisions that do not align with the actual circumstances or data available. Hence, emotional reasoning is often seen as a barrier to making well-informed and balanced decisions, solidifying the idea that it clouds one's objectivity.