Why you could be making the wrong decision and be led astray if you follow your gut instinct

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Updated:

Those who trust their gut instinct could often be making the wrong choice, according to a scientific study published yesterday.

Researchers say intuition can either be a useful ally or can lead to costly and dangerous mistakes.

The study found that how much we trust our intuition is influenced by what is physically happening in our bodies.

Don't follow your instincts: What happens in our bodies does affect our decisions... but that might not be a good thing

Don't follow your instincts: What happens in our bodies does affect our decisions... but that might not be a good thing

The research, published in the journal Psychological Science, also reveals that the ability to make hunch decisions can vary considerably between different people.

Lead author Barnaby Dunn, of the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge University, said: ‘We often talk about intuition coming from the body – “following our gut instincts” and “trusting our hearts”.

‘What is not certain is whether we should follow, or be suspicious of, what our bodies are telling us.

‘And do we differ in the influence that our gut feelings have on how we make decisions?’

In tests, Dr Dunn and his co-authors found the link between gut feelings and intuitive decision-making to be stronger in people who were more aware of their own heartbeat.

Dr Dunn said: ‘What happens in our bodies really does appear to influence what goes in our minds. We should be careful about following these gut instincts, however, as sometimes they help and sometimes they hinder our decision making.’

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