Think in a foreign language for improved decision-making

Decision-making is a natural part of daily living—everything from menial decisions such as what you plan to wear to work, to high-implication decisions such as whether to downsize or pursue a strategic acquisition. Regardless of the decision-making at hand, we are all subjected to bias, based on years of experience, which makes us more likely to take bad risks. There are many recommended strategies for minimizing risks and ultimately making effective decisions, including performing a SWOT analysis and gathering feedback from key stakeholders. However, recent research published in the journal Psychological Science suggests one way to decrease risk is to think through the decision in another language.

The researchers conducted several studies with students to test their decision-making biases with decisions ranging from how much money to bet to how to rationally fight a disease. The researchers discovered that when you think through a decision in a foreign language, you can reduce the framing effect that guides your bias. Additionally, thinking in a foreign language also increases the likelihood of taking a low-loss, high-gain bet because it alters your perception of loss and lets you see a bigger picture.

Why is this the case? As explained by the researchers:

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A foreign language provides a distancing mechanism that moves people from the immediate intuitive system to a more deliberate mode of thinking.

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The original peer-reviewed article can be found within Psychological Science.