Facing a tough decision? Research suggests that the best way to solve a complicated problem is to not think about it。
According to researchers, distracting yourself for a few minutes with something else or sleeping on it overnight helps the brain come up with the ideal solution. And those who struggle with a difficult question are more likely to get the wrong answer, compared with those who put it on the mental backburner, experiments show。
Students were asked to choose the best models from four imaginary makes of car. Each had 12 different features but two had better road holding and fuel economy. After reading about each car, one group of students was asked to make an instant choice. Another group carried out a second test which was designed to occupy their minds for five minutes before making their decision。
Volunteers in the second group were more likely to select the best car, the results showed. Experts believe this is because their subconscious minds were given the time to weigh up all the pros and cons。
Psychologist Maarten Bos, who led the research at Radboud University in the Netherlands, said: "Unconscious thought produces better decisions than when people decide immediately. It allows us to differentiate between the vital and the irrelevant aspects."