As societies emerge from conflict, men's dominance at all levels of decision-making ensures women never feel truly secure according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

People who do well on a series of decision-making tasks involving hypothetical situations tend to have more positive decision outcomes in their lives, according to a study by decision scientists at Carnegie Mellon University and the RAND Corp. The results suggest that it may be possible to improve the quality of people's lives by teaching them better decision-making skills.

Gambling is a risky activity that can potentially result in the loss of a significant amount of money. A study published in the May 1st issue of the journal SLEEP finds that sleep deprivation can adversely affect a person's decision-making at a gambling table by elevating the expectation of gains and making light of one's losses following risky decisions.

People and organisations that in the past have been excluded from the process are now being invited to participate in decision-making about their own communities, but a new booklet entitled 'Localism and local governance', published today by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), questions whether it is really happening.