What is Decision: Definition and 163 Discussions

In psychology, decision-making (also spelled decision making and decisionmaking) is regarded as the cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several possible alternative options, it could be either rational or irrational. Decision-making process is a reasoning process based on assumptions of values, preferences and beliefs of the decision-maker. Every decision-making process produces a final choice, which may or may not prompt action.
Research about decision-making is also published under the label problem solving, particularly in European psychological research.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. F

    Engineering Decision Tree Regression: Avoiding Overfitting in Training Data

    The decision tree in the following curve is too fine details of the training data and learn from the noise, (overfitting). Ref: https://scikit-learn.org/stable/auto_examples/tree/plot_tree_regression.html#sphx-glr-auto-examples-tree-plot-tree-regression-py I tried to remove the overfitting...
  2. cellist542

    Schools College Decision Debate -- Purdue, Penn State or Illinois for Engineering?

    I am currently a high school senior and intend to study engineering in college next year. I am currently considering 3 schools: Purdue, Penn State, and Illinois. All three are excellent schools with solid engineering programs, and all have different benefits and drawbacks. I was admitted to the...
  3. P

    B Decision for conditional probability instead of intersection of events

    Hello, I have a question about the following sentence and would appreciate if someone could explain how to read out the conditional probability here. "Each microwave produced at factory A is defective with probability 0.05". I understand the sentence as the intersection ##P(Defect \cap...
  4. M

    Decision Theory: Discriminant function for 2D Gaussians

    Hi, I was working on the following problem: Two classes ## C_1 ## and ## C_2 ## have equal priors. The likelihoods of ## x## belonging to each class are given by 2D normal distributions with different means, but the same covariance: p(x|C _1) = N(\mu_x, \Sigma) \text{and} p(x|C_2) =...
  5. H

    Programs Difficult Decision: MS Operations Research or Software Development?

    I started a degree in MS operations research but now am having second thoughts. I took a class in statistics and optimization using linear algebra. But what I enjoy most is programming in python.I am also teaching myself c++. People say industrial engineer is more about analyzing data while...
  6. P

    Other Submission to Classical and Quantum Gravity: Awaiting Decision After 1 Month

    I submitt a paper to journal Classical and Quantum Gravity. The status "awaiting referee reports" lasted one mont. However, now , the paper is on status "awaiting decision" two weaks up to now. Is a ill signal the delayed on the status "awaiting decision"?
  7. Felipe Lincoln

    Python Is machine learning entirely based on decision tree?

    Are all the machine learning predictor algorithm based on decision tree? Even classifier and regressors?
  8. C

    Engineering Physics vs. Engineering - Need Help Making a Decision

    Hello, I am in between researching five different majors and have come at a stand still. I am going to analyze each one from my perspective and see if you guys can help me choose, or correct my mistakes. Thanks in advanced. Physics Pros I love physics, and want as much exposure as I can...
  9. M

    Other What to consider when making a big career decision

    Hi everyone, Firstly sorry if this is the wrong forum to post this topic in but I thought as some/a lot people here will have done a physics degree it seemed like the best place to ask. Firstly - My main question is what did you consider when making the decision of 'do I go for this job/career...
  10. Thor4Four

    Schools TU Eindhoven or Universität Leipzig?

    I am a US international student who will be studying physics as a freshman in the Fall or Winter (depending on which uni I choose) I will be doing the IPSP Program at Leipzig if I choose Leipzig, and if I choose Eindhoven I will be studying Applied Physics in English. Leipzig has so much...
  11. Delta Force

    Exploring Hyman Rickover's Decision to Prioritize Light Water Reactors

    Does anyone know how Hyman Rickover decided to prioritize pressurized light water reactor technology in the 1940s when there were so many technologies to choose from?
  12. T

    Physics Stuck on a Decision: Physics or Mechatronics Engineering?

    I am really enthusiastic about physics and always dreamt of becoming a physicist but unfortunately my parent's don't really agree :( and that they are instead telling me to get into mechatronics engineering which is good since I do have a love for robotics and automation but compared to natural...
  13. Willy_d13

    Programs Which type of research position would best prepare me for a career in cosmology?

    I just transferred to a university with quite a few undergrad research opportunities. My goal is to go to grad school for cosmology after my b.s. in physics, which will come with a minor in mathematics and 18 hours of astronomy and astrophysics courses. My question is, would I benefit from...
  14. Saud92

    Decision maker equation (comparing 3 variables)

    I want to create an equation to make decision on the best product that i want to be the best for example: I have this 4 products: - product1: lives 1 months, quality 70%, people rating 50% - product2: lives 2 months, quality 60%, people rating 60% - product3: lives 3 months, quality 50%, people...
  15. C

    Programs Hard decision - Seeking advice on two Distance Learning programs

    Hi professionals, I have a medical background, and I would like to pursue an undergraduate degree in mathematics & physics, and I found two distance learning programs from OU (http://www.openuniversity.edu/courses/qualifications/q77) and UNISA...
  16. Z

    Programs Physics or Engineering (aka hardest decision of my life)

    So I've been struggling with this decision for the past 6-8 months. I go to a community college and I will be completing an associates degree in mechanical engineering in about a year (only 6 classes left). I think engineering is awesome, and so far I love the classes I've taken; Statics has...
  17. A

    Purdue Physics or UIUC Biophysics Specialization

    I have PhD admits from Purdue and UIUC for their programs in Physics and Biophysics respectively. I am having a tough time making a decision and with the 15th of April approaching I am having a tough time making a decision. I have a background in Physics and one year of research experience in...
  18. J

    Which elective is the better choice for a fluid-focused ME graduate student?

    Hi all, I'm a ME graduate student concentrating in fluids and I'm trying to decide between two electives. The two I'm looking at are Nonlinear Control Systems or Advanced Heat Transfer. Nonlinear controls looks interesting, but I'm not sure how it could tie in with fluids...as opposed to heat...
  19. K

    Career decision: 100% one field, or 50-50 two fields?

    I am currently doing a PhD in theoretical physics (let's for simplicity say gravity and black holes). However, I have also in my free time been working a bit in a more applied field (let's say cold atom physics), and have been reasonably successful (in the sense that I have some publications...
  20. I

    Should I quit school altogether

    Hello, I'm having a serious debate with myself as to whether or not I should continue going to University. Four years ago I was on the verge to complete a BA in Philosophy, but quit the program cold before entering my final semester (major motivational issues). I did some soul searching since...
  21. D

    Need help in making correct decision

    I am an 18 year old boy living In India and will complete my BSc next year...I m particularly interested in physics and want to get higher degrees in it but I am a bit hesitate in choosing PhD after MSc... Will it be good for my career if I spend 5 years in getting PhD? Or any other options...
  22. A

    Are calc-based stats classes useful for decision making?

    If business degrees require only intro to stats class that contains no calculus, and stats could be summarized into a short, easy, one semester course, are taking calculus-based statistics courses after intro to stats helpful for decision making, or are the calc-based stats courses merely just...
  23. H

    Can Decision Theory Be Used to Understand Complex Adaptive Systems?

    Hi, I am a mathematics student. I have recently become interested in Systems Theory and Complex Adaptive Systems Theory. In reading through a textbook on the subject I came across a small section on decision theory. Is anyone familiar with Decision Theory? Or more importantly, familiar with its...
  24. evinda

    MHB Solving Decision Problem with k Colors - NP-Complete

    Hello! (Wave) I had a test today and a question was to make a decision problem for the coloring using at most $k$ colors and to show that this problem is NP-complete. Is the following right? Decision problem: Is there a coloring with $k$ colors? Also could we show that the problem is in NP...
  25. S

    Can a decision tree algorithm minimize wastage for given volumes?

    Hi all, Im having trouble making a general algorithm for what at first glance appears to be a simple problem. If I have a volume (V) that can be made from two smaller, different volumes how can I decide which volumes to use to get the minimum wastage? So for example if V(required)=300 and my...
  26. X

    Schools Dilemma regarding decision between two top universities

    Hello everyone :) For a while now I have been a lurker on this website. I absolutely love the amount answers one can find to their questions. However, at the moment I am facing a great difficulty in deciding which university I should go to. I have been accepted by several top universities...
  27. 2ded12

    Help making decision on what to study to work on spacecraft

    I need help picking the best route to a careers to do with propulsion systems in space and launch vehicles. Initially, I would have pick the obvious course for this which is aerospace engineering, which most jobs want as basic requirement. But now I understand that the electronics course at this...
  28. L

    What Path Should I Choose at 16: Individual Happiness or Dedicated to Science?

    I am young, 16 years old I have my life ahead of me to be molded into whatever will be useful to society. I have made a conscious decision to choose one of two paths one will be individual happiness and the other will be spending and dedicating all my life to science that way my life will be...
  29. B

    Laptop Decision Help for Physics Major: 256GB SSD, 8/16GB RAM, i5/i7 Cores

    So, I'm going to be a physics major next year. I'm in the process of looking for my first laptop. I've been doing a lot of research and I've pretty much settled on a 13" retina display Mac book pro. My question is what guts do I need to be getting in the computer? I'm looking at 256GB SSD (I...
  30. B

    MQF or PhD physics? Decision for Fall 2015

    Background: Applied to PhD physics programs (7) , Master EE, MQF, MSMF I took a year off after undergrad, unwillingly, because I was rejected from most of the physics PhD programs I applied to. One offered an unfunded master's. I spent a lot of time figuring things out, including re-taking the...
  31. teroenza

    Should I Accept a Summer Internship Offer as a First Year Grad Student?

    Hi All, While applying to fellowships last semester as a first year grad student, I also applied on a whim to the AFRL Scholars internship program. I got an offer from them this summer to work on Rb and Ca Vapor Cell Clocks. It's a paid 12-week summer internship, and there are no associated...
  32. ChrisVer

    Boosted Decision Trees algorithm

    I am not sure whether it should be here, or in statistical mathematics or in computers thread...feel free to move it. I am using it here because I am trying to understand the algorithm when it's used in particle physics (e.g. identification of neutral pions in ATLAS). As I read it: In general...
  33. evinda

    MHB Constructing a Decision Tree: Explained!

    Hello! (Wave) In my notes there is the following decision tree: Could you explain me how it is constructed? (Thinking)
  34. 22990atinesh

    Decision Properties of Languages

    I'd trouble remembering decision properties of languages like Regular, CFL, RE, etc. So I made a table of it. Are all the entries of table correct or has some errors http://postimg.org/image/bdb5tqkfl/][/PLAIN] [Broken] http://s24.postimg.org/bdb5tqkfl/Decision_Property.jpg
  35. M

    MHB A decision tree has an expected depth of at least log n

    Hey! :o I am looking at the proof of the following theorem and I have some questions. The theorem is the following: The proof is the following: Let $D(T)$ be the sum of the depths of the leaves of a binary rtee $T$. Let $D(m)$ be the smallest value of $D(T)$ taken over all binary trees $T$...
  36. Q

    Delayed ChoiceQuantum Eraser: what about decision?

    Hello everyone, I have read a bit about the Delayed Choice Quantum Eraser, and the fact it could mean there exists a possible timeless retro-causality mechanism. So far to me, the results have been paradoxical. But hey, that's QM, right? I will base my questions from a theoretical derivation...
  37. J

    MHB 3-COLOR Decision Problem and OR-Gadget

    One reduction from the 3-SAT problem to 3-COLOR uses an OR-gadget that is basically a set of nodes connected to have the properties of an OR-Gate. The gadget is 3-colorable regardless whenever all 3 input literals have the same color (regardless of whether the colors mean True or False)...
  38. davenn

    He Asked For It - The Unfortunate Results of a Poor Decision

    you can't say he didn't ask for that ! ...
  39. I

    Schools Choose College for Environmental Engineering: U of Wisc or U of Minn?

    Hello Everyone! I have a interesting decision to make. I have been accepted into University of Wisconsin-Plateville for Environmental Engineering, which I can start taking classes towards my degree. I have also been accepted into the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, however i got into the...
  40. Q

    Making the right decision Pure Math

    Hi guys I'm here to ask the age-old question, namely, I am thinking of transferring from my highly ranked university where I finished my first year in an Engineering Physics type program to the university in my hometown where I want to study Pure Math (it is too late to transfer faculties at my...
  41. E

    Hard decision to be an engineer --

    Hey and thank you in advance for taking the time to read and hopefully replying to this. I have been doing a lot of research into becoming a mechanical engineer the past few weeks and this is sort of the last step for me in deciding whether or not to apply to the schools and commit to it. I...
  42. R

    Is brain and decision making similar to cockpit and pilot

    A pilot is independent of the cockpit(similar to the brain). The brain only take command for different parts of our body. In other word the brain is only physical or instrument just like the cockpit and the actual thought process is taken by something like a pilot which is different from the...
  43. T

    Schools Decision on which college to attend; nuclear engineering interest

    Both sons were offered a full-tuition scholarship at UAH and at the University of Alabama. Son 2 is going to accept at UAH and wants to do a double major in Aerospace and Mechanical. Here's the dilemma: Son 1 really wants to major in nuclear engineering, which would require him turning...
  44. S

    Schools Grad School Decision Europe

    Greetings, I am going to get my bachelor's degree in physics from Middle East Technical University(Ankara/TURKEY) this year. I would like to continue my graduate studies in applied physics areas and especially photonics. Up to this date I have applied to the physics department of the...
  45. E

    Using student loans for one semester - necessarily a bad decision?

    I asked this in the career thread so before ti gets pointed out I would like to note I realized this, but since this forum may have a different set of respondents who read these forums, i figured I would ask it here too. So more about my situation: I am now in the process of completing a...
  46. B

    Decision Boundary Line (Linear/Non-Linear)

    Homework Statement Given a non-linear decision boundary line: (1 + X1)^2 + (2 − X2)^2 = 4 Argue that while the decision boundary is not linear in terms of X1 and X2, it is linear in terms of X1,X1^2 , X2, and X2^2 . The Attempt at a Solution I'm honestly not sure. I realize the...
  47. T

    Which to take? (Need a decision on a math course)

    For my current set of classes I'm going to be able to take either probability and statistics or college algebra with modeling (could someone explain modeling?) I've always wanted to take prob/statistics but don't want to jump in and miss something important, and also, are prob and statistics...
  48. Z

    Optional Physics modules - decision time

    I was wondering if anyone would have an opinion on which four of the following final year Physics modules would be most useful to have completed post-graduation? Solid State Physics Atomic and Molecular Physics Physics in Medicine Nuclear and Fundamental Particle Physics Electromagnetic...
  49. S

    Programs  me with aerospace engineering major Decision

    Hello,I am a senior year student and my intention is to study aerospace engineering.I saw on the internet that some AP courses were required in high school but I live in Turkey and we have two options in high schools either scientific or litterature fields and there is no option of taking AP...
  50. F

    Programs Western Carolina Major decision, EE vs ECEt

    Hello everyone! I've been looking around and I was considering going for Nuclear Engineering at NC State recently, but I decided against it after much consideration. Now, while it seems like a solid field to go into I prefer the flexibility of location that comes with an Electrical Engineering...
Back
Top