webster's Dictionary defines decision as "the act of making up one's mind." Hastie (2001)
suggests that decision involve three main components: courses of action (i.e.,alternatives), beliefs about objective states and processes (including outcome states), and desires (i.e., utilities) that correspond to the outcomes associated with each potential action-event combination. Stated more simply, Hastie suggests that good decision are those which link decision-makers' utilities with decision outcomes.