Principlev1PR-1987
When making decisions under cognitive load, time pressure…
When making decisions under cognitive load, time pressure, or emotional stress, your automatic System 1 reveals your operational value hierarchy more accurately than your deliberative System 2, so examine your high-pressure choices to see your true hierarchy.
Why This Is a Principle
This principle derives from Cognition Operates Through Dual Processing Systems (dual-process theory), Actual behavior reveals operative values more reliably… (behavior reveals values), and Automaticity Without Conscious Control (automatic processes operate without conscious control). It prescribes where to look for the most diagnostic evidence of your value hierarchy: high-pressure situations where automatic processes dominate.