When we make a decision, various independent functions in the brain work [consciously and subconsciously] in conjunction with each other to access data, analyse it and make judgments. Its a complex process that the brain performs very well. So, why is it that some time after feeling confident when making a decision, we often feel uncomfortable about it. We suffer post-purchase anxiety, known as ‘post decision dissonance’ . To understand why this is, let’s look at what happens in the brain when you make a decision.

In our example, you are a 43 year old married man who has had a particularly successful year, and have decided to reward yourself with a new luxury car. In this case, a Maserati Quattroporte GTS.

You have a business colleague who has recently purchased this car, and the memory of enjoying riding in it, stored in your hippocampus, triggers emotions in your limbic system. In turn, the limbic system sends this information to the prefrontal cortex to influence your judgement process. So in this case, your decision started with an emotional experience. It led you to wanting this car, to your justification that you deserved it, and that it is the ‘obvious’ best option.

Fortunately, you are not inclined to make ’emotional’ decisions, so the next thing you consider is the price of the car – another piece of information that may be stored in memory, but this time, the cognitive financial calculations performed in judgement analysis will use the higher-order thinking neo-cortex regions. You have a $400,000 bonus, so this will more than cover the cost of just under $300,000.

So, armed with these two motivators, you head on down to the Maserati showroom, and as you walk in and see the car, the parietal lobe jumps on board to process your visual experience and analyses this sensory input, sending the resulting data to the frontal lobe to be factored into your final decision.

So, you now have three key inputs into your judgement  as to whether you should purchase – emotional, visual, analytical, all occur in various parts of the brain, but all congregate in the frontal lobe for reasoning, judgement and final decision.

You fall in love all over again, and an hour later drive out of the showroom in your new toy. You have a tough time leaving your garage that night – you just want to stay in the car forever. Eventually hunger and other bodily needs overpower you and you return to normal living.

The next morning, you can’t wait to get back down to the garage, and sitting back in your car, your brain starts playing games with you. You feel anxious that perhaps you were too hasty in buying the car. This post decision dissonance results from various analytical factors, perhaps including not sufficiently thought through prior to purchase. For example, it might include:

• Investment – the price of the car [you felt you were worth it, but the opportunity costs start emerging, and you failed to factor in the tax you will need to pay on your bonus]
• Responsibility – the importance of your role in the purchase [you haven’t told your wife yet!]
• Commitment – how often you will drive the car [you are away from home 4 nights a week so spend most of your week in taxis and aeroplanes].

Together, such elements result in feelings of anxiety, and a loss of motivation you felt when you made the decision. This is largely triggered in the amygdala – the hub of emotions, emotional behaviour and motivation.

So how can you reduce, or even eliminate this anxiety? How do you reduce the discrepancy between your action and your emotions. By tapping into the very same brain regions that made the decision:

• Emotions – can change your beliefs and attitudes [you have worked your butt off for this car – you still deserve it, and there will still be enough of your bonus for your wife to treat herself as well]
• Cognition – change of action [reverse the sale]
• Behaviour – adding a new element of cognition/behaviour [for example, spending more time with your wife and family so you don’t become too materialistic]

Your brain walks you through the options – you can’t return the car, so you either have to change how you feel about buying it, or add in something new to balance back the equation. Our brain naturally responds to your anxiety by making your decision more attractive. It works in your favour to ‘rationalise’ your purchase. Your brain is finally at rest.

But, good luck with getting your wife to believe “my brain made me do it”!