A blindfolded man chooses a number at random from a telephone directory, circa 1935. (Photo by FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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As adults, one of the most challenging aspects of life is decision-making. Whether it’s choosing a partner, managing finances, or determining where to live and work, individuals often rely on their own intuition and reflection rather than seeking external advice, a recent study reveals. Surprisingly, this preference for self-reliance transcends cultural boundaries, as people from diverse backgrounds, including those from industrialized nations like the U.S. and indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest, tend to make significant decisions through introspection.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, involved over 3,500 participants from 12 countries across the Global North and Global South. The diverse sample included residents of major cities in the U.S., Germany, Canada, India, China, as well as indigenous communities in South America. The participants, over 50% of whom were women, faced six dilemmas that required them to make tough choices, ranging from personal interests to community welfare.
Interestingly, regardless of cultural background or societal norms, individuals overwhelmingly favored private deliberation over seeking advice from others. The researchers noted that even in tight-knit communities where interdependence is high, individuals preferred making decisions on their own to avoid potential costs or obligations associated with seeking advice.
The scenarios presented to participants varied from deciding between personal gains and communal well-being to choosing between conflicting priorities such as work commitments and helping a friend in need. The study revealed that most participants leaned towards personal deliberation and intuition as their preferred decision-making strategies, highlighting a universal inclination towards self-reliance.
Published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences in August 2025, this study sheds light on the universal preference for self-reliant decision-making across diverse cultures and regions.
