Maja Storch Das Geheimnis kluger Entscheidungen Von somatischen Markern, Bauchgefühl und Überzeugungskraft (Good Decisions and How to Make Them) Pendo Verlag, February 2003. 128 pp. ISBN 3-85842-557-5 What constitutes a good decision? And how do you go about making one? In this useful little book the psychologist Maja Storch skilfully answers these tricky questions. Drawing on the findings of psychologists and neuroscientists, she shows us how an understanding of the way in which decisions work can help us to make the right choices in our everyday lives. Her all-important message is that we should abandon the idea that good decisions can be based on reason alone. Psychologists and neuroscientists now agree that the unconscious has an important role to play whenever decisions are involved. In describing what happens in our bodies when decisions are being taken, this book demonstrates why we should pay serious attention to our emotions and 'gut instincts'. Using a series of entertaining examples, the author reveals how people ignore the warning signals at their peril. If you ignore the butterflies in your stomach or the tingling on your skin, you will be missing out on information that could help you come to the right conclusion. This is because our emotional responses reflect a store of past experience that can be called upon to guide our future conduct. These emotions are coupled with physical sensations that indicate the effect that an action may have on our wellbeing. The key to making a good decision is the ability to respond to both rational and emotional feedback. Having explained the theoretical background, the author goes on to offer practical help. Using quirky cartoons and droll scenarios, the book shows how scientific findings can be applied to real-life situations. The author has a gift for making difficult material seem easy, as she effortlessly weaves Freudian concepts and medical terms into a lively and enlightening narrative. Good decisions, as the author explains, should ultimately result in happiness, but this can only be attained if you know what you're looking for. If you listen to what your body is telling you, you may find happiness is closer than you think.