The Art and Science

of Decision-Making

A learning guide anchored on the Most

Essential Learning Competencies for
Homeroom and Guidance Counseling
for Senior High School Students
Here are our learning targets:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. manage factors in sound decision making;
2. manage right decision based on information;
3. explain the importance of steps for meaningful decision-
making;
4. discuss how personal experiences in decision-making impact
oneself and others
 Activity 1: Have a Heart

You are surgeons at a large hospital. Your committee

must make a very important decision. Seven patients
need a heart transplant. There is only one heart donor
currently. All the patients are eligible to receive this
heart. All are physically able. All have compatible tissue
and blood typing. Which patient would you choose to
receive the heart? Why?
 31-year-old male; 12-year-old 40-year-old male;
African female; Hispanic, teacher,
American, brain Vietnamese; 2 children
surgeon at the accomplished
height of his violinist; blind
career; no
children

15-year-old 35-year-old male; 17-year-old female; 38-year-old

female; American, Hispanic; Roman American; waitress; female; White;
high school dropout;
unmarried, 6 Catholic priest AIDS researcher;
supports for a brother
months pregnant who is severely no children;
disabled lesbian
 Activity 1: Have a Heart

1. What was your decision?

2. How did you arrive at your decision?
3. How was your decision influenced by your values? Attitudes?
Prejudices?
4. What do you think are the consequences of making your
decision?
Processing the Activity
We make decisions every day, big and little. Many are easy, but others are
complex, stressful, or both. In these decisions, two things always arise:
OPTIONS and OUTCOMES.

OPTIONS Something you can do or not do

OUTCOME
Something you that will happen or not
S
What is a DECISION?

a situation when you

have more than one
option;

the option you choose can have

some effect on the outcome;

you can think about which

option to choose.
Decisions vs. Options/ Outcomes

What should I
If you are a baby,
wear for
what should you
tomorrow’s
wear?
event?
Should I do my Will I get all the
homework? answers right in
my quiz?
Should I pursue a
Should I breathe?
degree in college?
DECISION-MAKING
According to Trewatha & Newport:,
“Decision-making involves the
selection of a course of action
from among two or more possible
alternatives in order to arrive at a
solution for a given problem”.
 Decision-Making vs. Problem Solving
DECISI PROBL
ON- EM-
MAKIN Decision making SOLVIN
G G Problem solving
means choosing to do
something because you means being forced
wish for something to to settle down with a
occur that is not solution because of
occurring at the present conditions beyond
time. your control.
It occurs because you It occurs when a
want something to problem arises.
happen.
Relating Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
PROBLEM
- Exists when your objectives are not being met
- Expectation vs. Reality

PROBLEM-
SOLVING
- Method of taking corrective action

DECISION-MAKING
- Process of selecting a course of action
- First decision is to solve the possible problem or not
 Activity 2: What Would You Do?

For each situation, determine your problem; list

your options (at least two possible choices); the
consequences of each possible choice and your
final decision.
You are expected to attend your online class in
Mathematics at 10-11AM. At the same time,
your friend from other school offered a one-on-
one tutorial on a difficult assignment in Science
due at 12PM today. If he/she is available this
time only, what would you choose?
What is your dilemma?
Possible Choices:
Consequences of each choice possible choice:
Your Final Decision:
In an ongoing online examination, you are at
the twelfth question out of thirty. In your
notification bar, you noticed that your circle of
friends are sharing all their answers in your
group chat. You only have 10 minutes left.
What would you do?

What is your dilemma?

Possible Choices:
Consequences of each choice possible choice:
Your Final Decision:
You are the group leader for a performance
task and have thought of a procedure that you
believe would improve the work process. Some
of your groupmates agree with you and some
do not. One of your groupmates openly
criticizes the idea to your teacher.
What is your dilemma?
Possible Choices:
Consequences of each choice possible choice:
Your Final Decision:
You are part of a school organization where a
co-officer is belittling you. As a newbie, he is at
a less senior position than you but, is
considered a fast learner. You knew from a
mutual friend that he is interested in taking
over some of your duties.
What is your dilemma?
Possible Choices:
Consequences of each choice possible choice:
Your Final Decision:
Your friends want you to try drinking a beer
with them. You tell them you don't want to try
it,
but they laugh and call you a "nerd” they ask
you again to just "try it, one drink won't hurt."

What is your dilemma?

Possible Choices:
Consequences of each choice possible choice:
Your Final Decision:
You are assigned to work for a project with
someone who has no great aspiration to earn
better grades. As a result, he does not put much
effort into your mutual pro

What is your dilemma?

Possible Choices:
Consequences of each choice possible choice:
Your Final Decision:
 Is it not ironic how all of us
know what decisions are but find
it difficult to make decisions?
 Why is making decisions not easy?
UNCERTAI Do you know everything about the
01 NTY situation?

COMPLEX
02 Did you consider interrelated factors?
ITY

03 RISKY Are you willing to acknowledge the

impact of your decision?

ALTERNAT
04 IVES
Did you consider other options?

INTERPERSO How will people react towards your

05 NAL ISSUES decision?
 Activity 3: Down the Memory Lane

Recall and describe situations in your life when making

decisions was difficult because of:
1. Uncertainty:
2. Complexity:
3. Risky:
4. Too many alternatives:
5. Interpersonal issues:
 Activity 4: Decisions, Decisions

https://dlsudphl-my.shar
epoint.com/:b:/g/persona
l/daa2727_dlsud_edu_ph
/EVe6cptg3LtHp63pKd_
CHfQBMIPudm3KnjQ
X1htlk0XHLQ?e=4Vuv
43
Aside from the previously mentioned reasons why
decision making is difficult, several factors can
affect the process we follow and ultimately, the
decisions we make. These factors may either affect
you or the people around you positively or
negatively.
 Oneself

Family Church

Factors in
Sound
School Decision- Government
Making

Media and
Peers/Fellow
Technology
 01 FAMILY

• We all learn from the people around us. Our relationships

with our family influence how we deal with problems and
process decisions.
• Our bond with our family gives us the confidence to be able
to solve problems and make decisions.
• For example, some parents might be passive, meaning, they
become very flexible to the point that children do not know
what their boundaries are. They tend to make excuses for
their children and their children's behavior.
 FAMILY

• Children who grow up in permissive homes tend to believe

that the rules do not apply to them. Therefore, they
misbehave in school since they can do so in their own home.
• They tend to believe that they can decide on whatever they
want because that is what they see from their family.
“Okay lang ‘yan. kami
nga sa bahay…” Bakit mo ako
binabawalan? Si Mommy
nga…
 FAMILY

• Your parents’ values and expectations affect the way you

decide. As a child, you act on things based on what your
parents have instilled on you.

Sabi ni Mommy…
Magagalit si Daddy…

• As a student, your career choice be affected by your family.

 FAMILY

• As a student, your career choice may be affected by your family.

Gusto ni Mommy e… …we are a family of

doctors and nurses.

..para maiahon ko sila sa ..ito lang kaya ng

kahirapan.. Tatay ko e.
 02 SCHOOL

• Our education setup recognizes the role of teachers as

facilitators— they simulate real-life problems where your
decision is important. For instance, group works are given to
allow you to learn how to decide for and with others, and not
just for yourself.

Anong gagawin mo kung

Ikaw na lang leader kasi..
hindi tumulong si..
 SCHOOL

• Teachers employ questioning and inquiry-based strategies

to train students make better choices. For instance, debates
help you weigh on current issues where you might be
involved.
• You spend more time in school than at home. The culture
that the school has impacts how you process things. If your
school cultivates excellence through high academic
achievement, you tend to excel,Sabi
too.ni teacher, ganito..
 03 PEERS

• Strong-willed friends can increase your self-control.

Befriending people of high degree of discipline helps you
make the right decisions. Pick friends who make poor
choices, and you could get dragged down fast.

Tell me who your friends are, and

I’ll tell you who you are.
 PEERS

• Peer pressure can be either positive or negative. You may

decide to do something because your circle of friends say so.
• Teenagers are drawn to the immediate rewards of a
potential choice and are less attentive to the possible risk.

Tara, group study tayo…

‘wag na tayo pumasok..

 WHEN TO STOP:
• You realize that your core group isn’t moving in the direction you want
your life go. Having opposite value systems is a cause for concern.
• You catch yourself trying to being somebody you are not. If you ignore

Source: ttps://firstthings.org/how-friends-influence-behavior/
your values in a certain group, you are moving away from who you really
are. People who know you well may say things like, “When you are
around them, you are different.”
• You feel pressure to compromise your values. If something has never
been a temptation before and you begin to consider it as an option, ask
yourself why.
• You say to yourself, “I’ll go, but I won’t participate.” Although you may
not actually do the behavior, you are there when others do it. A companion
of fools suffers harm.
• You hope the ones you love don’t find out where or with whom you
have been. It may not be that you must defend yourself, but something on
 04 CHURCH

• We tend to rely on our religious practices in “difficult

moments.” The teachings of our church becomes our source
of solace, guidance and inspiration in making critical
decisions.
• We tend to make decisions based on our religious beliefs, and
whether we think we are following our religious creed.
• For instance, Christians follow a strict moral code from the
Ten Commandments.
 06 GOVERNMENT

• Our decisions are constantly shaped by subtle changes in our

environment. Even choices that feel deliberate and conscious
can be swayed by cues that we may not even notice, such as
social norms or the setting of a default option.
• We adjust our decisions based on what the government is
imposing in our community. For instance, you may have
lessened your consumption of sweetened beverages because
of the tax imposed on these products.
 GOVERNMENT

• Our day-to-day decisions are affected by the laws imposed in

our country. For instance, we adjust our schedules based on
the ordinances like curfew being implemented in the
community.
• A high sense of democracy in the community allows us to
make decisions that would affect not only ourselves, but
others as well. We tend to be more critical because of the
political issues that may or may not directly involve us. For
instance, we scrutinize politicians before expressing our
support for them.
 MEDIA and
07 TECHNOLOGY

• Overconfidence in technology can influence our decision

making. For instance, students tend to rely on virtual polls to
produce a decision.
• Collaboration and team decisions are now possible through
tools like Google Docs, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and others.

LMGTFY (Let me Google

that for you)
 MEDIA and
TECHNOLOGY

• Social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter has

become professional networks. For instance, some netizens
would use Facebook as an avenue for personal and
professional branding i.e., posting level of education, awards
and recognition received etc. Employers may see this to
assess the capability of an applicant.
 MEDIA and
TECHNOLOGY

• Although social media has allowed us to communicate with

people easily and share information with them, it has also
altered our opinion and influenced our choices.

DDS! Dilawan!

Add to cart na!

 MEDIA and
TECHNOLOGY

• Media and technology provide us with a lot of information.

The more the information we get, the more the options,
insights and sources to validate our data. The better the
quality of information is, the more accurate the data we have
and thus a better understanding of options.
• In the corporate world, businesses would rely on available
data produced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology than
mere experience.
 08 YOURSELF

• No one knows the real you but you. Your temperament,

disposition and nature may contribute to the decisions you
make.
• Some people are fearless, enjoying risk and adventure, while
others are fearful of making change and making mistakes,
preferring to stay close to what is familiar and not wandering
too far—and that includes their choices and decisions.
Go lang ng go!
 YOURSELF

• Some people have been burned in the past by poor choices

and decisions and are afraid to, once again, risk making a bad
choice or decision. So they may do nothing hoping the
change will work itself out, or go away, or that somebody else
will take care of what needs to be done.

What if my decision is
wrong?
 YOURSELF

• All your decisions at the present, point towards your goal in

life. Most of the time, you choose an option because it is what
makes you happy and fulfilled.
• Meanwhile, your values may help you in making your
decisions into reality.
• Say, you value honesty—when you decide to study and get a
good score in an online examination, you know that you must
work honestly. You will value honesty over integrity the
integrity of your work and as a result, you will feel more
satisfied.