Episode 79: The Neuroscience of Decision Making with Moran Cerf
Aug 7, 2023
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Neuroscientist Moran Cerf discusses decision-making, AI, red team thinking, and neuroplasticity. He emphasizes the importance of having a trusted ally, AI's role in wartime, and the significance of personal red teams. They explore flawed decision-making protocols and the concept of optimal decision states. Cerf also touches on AI's exposure of human decision-making errors and the potential of neuroplasticity.
Having a trusted friend in decision-making groups enhances decision quality.
AI can expose human decision-making errors and potentially make better choices in critical situations, such as wartime scenarios.
Slowing down the decision-making process allows for gathering more information, considering different perspectives, and making more informed decisions.
Deep dives
The Flaws in Human Decision-Making Processes
The podcast episode discusses the inherent flaws in human decision-making processes, particularly in high-stress situations like nuclear decision making. The protocols and assumptions about human decision-making are outdated and do not account for the irrationality and unpredictability of leaders in charge. This raises questions about whether machines, such as artificial intelligence, could be better suited for decision making. By testing AI against human decision-making, the podcast explores the potential for machines to make better choices in critical situations.
Using Machines to Replace or Aid Humans in Decision-Making
The podcast delves into the possibility of machines replacing or aiding humans in decision-making. It highlights various domains in which machines have already proven to be superior decision-makers, such as driving cars, medical diagnosis, and legal judgments. Machines are not prone to biases and can be easily fixed when errors occur. The podcast proposes the concept of a 'digital twin,' a machine trained to think like a specific person, to assist individuals in decision-making, particularly in high-stress scenarios. This approach aims to provide individuals with advice from a trusted digital counterpart based on past simulations and similar decision profiles.
The Need to Slow Down and Consider Decision-Making
The podcast emphasizes the importance of slowing down the decision-making process, especially in critical situations. Slowing down allows individuals to gather more information, consider different perspectives, and reduce the influence of panic or biases. By taking more time, individuals can better harness their optimal decision state and avoid rushed or irrational choices. Slowing down the decision-making process helps individuals think more clearly and make more informed decisions, ultimately leading to better outcomes.
The Importance of Evaluating the Pyramid You're Climbing
It is crucial for young people and leaders to critically evaluate the pyramid they are climbing. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about his experience in the army and reflects on the tendency to automatically strive for higher positions without considering if that is truly what they want. He advises individuals to take the time to record their decisions and rank them after some time, to understand patterns and preferences. By knowing oneself and intentionally choosing the right pyramid, better decision-making can be achieved.
The Significance of Personal Red Teams for Leaders
The speaker emphasizes the importance of having trusted individuals in decision-making groups who are willing to challenge and critique one's ideas and choices, even if it means going against the leader's initial thoughts. This personal red team provides valuable feedback and helps leaders make better decisions. The speaker acknowledges that receiving criticism can be difficult, but stresses the importance of trusting the assigned role of these individuals and maintaining open-mindedness. By incorporating the perspective of a personal red team, leaders can enhance the quality of their decision-making process.
In this episode of The Thinking Leader, Bryce Hoffman and Marcus Dimbleby engage in a conversation with Moran Cerf, a professor of neuroscience and business at Columbia University. He helps implement decision-science and neuroscience in critical choices.
Moran speaks on his entry into the field of decision-making and his insights into flawed protocols based on outdated assumptions about human decision-making. He highlights the necessity of having a trusted friend in your decision-making groups who can provide honest feedback as this enhances decision quality.
Bryce, Marcus and Moran explore the application of AI to validate human choices, along with simulations for leaders to comprehend associated risks. The talk touches on AI's role in wartime scenarios and the rarity of key decision-makers. They discuss optimal decision states, how to make better choices, the concept of red team thinking in understanding brain function, and neuroplasticity's potential.
In this episode:
Why you need to find a trusted decision-making ally
How AI exposes human decision-making errors
AI's role in wartime contexts
How red team thinking contributes to understanding brain dynamics
Bestselling business author Bryce Hoffman and agility expert Marcus Dimbleby talk about decision making, strategy, resilience and leadership with some of the world’s best CEOs, cognitive scientists, writers, and thinkers in this weekly podcast. Each episode offers new ideas and insights you can use to become a better leader and a better thinker – because bad leaders react, good leaders plan, and great leaders think!
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