Clinical decision making

Question 1

What is confirmation bias

Answer 1

the tendency to search for or interpret
information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions, often leading to
errors

Example: someone who supports the legalisation of marijuana will seek
out information and stories that support his/her argument

Question 2

What is the sunk cost fallacy

Answer 2

The more we have already invested the more likely we are to invest more in the future

Question 3

What are availability heuristics

Answer 3

probabilities are estimated on how easily/vividly they can be called to mind. People tend to overestimate probability of dramatic events and heavily weight judgements towards more recent information

Question 4

What are representative heuristics

Answer 4

subjective probability that a stimulus belongs to a particular class based on how ‘typical’ of that class that it appears to be

Question 5

How would you improve clinical decision making

Answer 5

Education & training
Feedback – autopsies etc
Accountability
Establish forced consideration of alternative possibilities
Consultation – seek second opinion