Decision Making

A 42 1-6

“It wasn’t my fault, my friends made me do it”.

Journal: What are some decisions that you made today?

How would you like it if all your decisions were made by rolling a dice, magic 8 ball, etc.?

If you did that you would have NO CONTROL over decisions – they would be made for you.

Decision Making Styles

Inactive – (turtle) wishy washy; don’t like to make decisions; put off decisions.

Reactive – (duck) follow the crowd; do what friends say; want to please others, give control to them.

Proactive – (owl) take responsibility for decisions, no excuses, have control over decisions.

Decision Making

Journal: Which animal/decision making style are you more like ? Why?

Have you ever made a decision you didn’t think through and later regretted? What was it and what would you have done differently?

Inactive Reactive Proactive

Guidelines to Making Responsible Decisions

1. Decision to be made2. Choices3. Pros/Cons of each choice4. Evaluate :Compare Pros/Cons5. Make decision

Ask yourself – is it:

* Healthful?* Safe?* Legal?* Show respect to yourself/others?* Show good character – is it the right thing to do?* Would your parents approve?

You’re at your friend’s house, their parents aren’t home, and your friend decides to take their parent’s car and go for a “joy ride” – they want you to come along.

1. Decision to be made2. Choices3. Pros/Cons of each choice4. Evaluate :Compare Pros/Cons5. Make decision

Ask yourself – is it:

* Healthful?* Safe?* Legal?* Show respect to yourself/others?* Show good character – is it the right thing to do?* Would your parents approve?

Decision Making - Box Activity

On the outside of the box is criteria for making decisions.

Inside the box are decisions to be made. One person opens the box and takes out a

situation. They read it to the class, then make a decision.

They then toss the box to another student who rotates the box, evaluating the decision.

After evaluating the decision, toss the box to another student to make another decision, etc.

Influences / Types of Pressure

A 44 Internal pressure: put pressure on yourself; you control.

External pressure: from outside sources; have no control over.

Internal Influences

1. Your knowledge: what you know or don’t know.

2. Your likes/dislikes: your preferences

3. Your values: what’s important to you

4. Your desires: what you want5. Your fears: your concerns6. Your risk-taking style:

unnecessary risks can harm you

Internal Pressure: What is it and what can you say to yourself to resist it.

1.You’re babysitting and feel bored. You see a bottle of whiskey in the cabinet and think “Maybe I should try some.”

Internal Pressure

2. A popular kid in your class always gets a laugh when they make nasty jokes about other students or calls them names. It seems strange to you, but the more they do it, the more other kids seem to like them. You’re beginning to think that maybe you should make nasty jokes about other students and call them names to show they you’re one of the crowd.

Internal Pressure

3. It’s Saturday night. You and three friends had plans to go to the movies. When you get to your friend’s house, everyone has decided to stay there instead of going out, since your friend’s parents aren’t home. All three of your friends have just opened beers for themselves. You don’t want one, and you really want to see the movie. No one offers you a beer, but you feel pressured to drink one anyway.

Internal Pressure

4.You’ve promised yourself to reorganize your room on Sunday, but you overheard two friends making plans to go to the mall. You don’t have any money, and you know this is the last free Sunday afternoon you’ll have for a long time because of a big report you have to work on. One the other hand, you really like the mall and figure that you have “earned” an afternoon off. They haven’t invited you, but you’re feeling pressure to go back on your promise to yourself.

External Influences

1. Your family: their behaviors may influence you

2. Your friends/peers: positive or negative ex. ?

3. Your environment: surroundings4. Your culture: beliefs and values of a group of

people5. Laws: influence what you do – ex. Wear seat

belt6. Media: TV, radio, films, printed material, etc.7. Role models: People you admire & respect

Bad Choices led to death of local youth

A good kid who just made a mistake.

Boy died in car accident. He was driving at a high rate of speed and was driving under the influence of alcohol.

His car left the roadway and struck a large pine tree along the road.

Resistance Skills – used when you want to say “NO” – external pressure/peers

1. Say “No” in a firm voice, be assertive, not aggressive or passive.

2. You can give reasons for saying “No”, or sound like a broken record.

3. Suggest alternatives, turn the pressure around on them.

4. Walk away; avoid situation5. Strength in numbers; hang out

with people of same beliefs

Accessing Valid Health Information

Different times throughout your life, you may want to know how to prevent an illness, how to improve your health, or more about a health problem.

You need to know reliable sources where you can get your information.

Reliable Sources of Health Information

1. Libraries: Books, CD-roms, etc.

2. Print and other media: newspapers, magazines, medical journals, informational TV / radio shows.

3. Internet: government or health agencies

4. Community resources: Government offices, county health department, major health organizations.

Quiz

1. Decision making style where you make a decision and accept responsibility for it.

2. Decision making style where you don’t like to make decisions.

3. Decision making style where you do what your friends want you to do.

4. The type of pressure you put on yourself.5. The type of pressure from outside sources.6. One example of external pressure.7. Skills for saying no to negative pressure from peers.8. Technique where you keep repeating yourself.9. One reliable source where you can get health

information.