Decision Making & Treatment Choices

Question 1

What are the three different types of decisions?

Answer 1

Certain
Uncertain
Risky

Question 2

What is Expected Utility Theory (EUT)? Neumann and Morgenstern

Answer 2

Links choice with value and the probability of each option, based on the rules of logic (how people SHOULD make decisions)

Question 3

What is the maximum expected utility (MEU) choice?

Answer 3

the option with the greatest or maximum value should be chosen - the ‘correct’/’rational’ choice

Question 4

What assumptions are made for rational decision making?

Answer 4

People are motivated to follow rules
People have full knowledge of all options
People’s representations of options, risk and benefits are accurate
People know what their values are, and the values are stable

Question 5

How do people ACTUALLY make decisions?

Answer 5

From experiences (same/different decision)
Gut reaction
Sometimes don’t know why
Sometimes think hard

Question 6

Why don’t people use EUT (expected utility theory) on a regular basis?

Answer 6

Don’t have the processing capacity, and its a lot of effort

Question 7

What are 3 simpler, decision making strategies?

Answer 7

Satisfying - choose a satisfactory criterion and choose the first option that matches

Elimination by aspects - choose one attribute and compare the choices with it

Heuristic - use a rule of thumb e.g. friend said X, done X before

Question 8

What is information processing strategy system 1?

Answer 8

Intuitive-experience strategy - fast decision making
Choice usually made on a rule of thumb triggered by a bit of information bu someone, informed by experience or beliefs
(subconscious, quick, little effort)

Question 9

What type of choice is likely to be made using information processing system 1?

Answer 9

More likely to regret it - wrong choice

Question 10

What is information processing system 2?

Answer 10

Deliberative and analytic, slow, attends to details of the problem and evaluates pros and cons, makes choice based on trade offs between evaluations

conscious, time-consuming, emotionally demanding

Question 11

What type of choice is likely to be made using system 2 information processing?

Answer 11

More stable choice - happier with choice, less likely to regret it

Question 12

What can cause bias in decision making?

Answer 12

How information is presented e.g. facts and figures
Context in which the information is given (heuristics, risk perception) - people pick up on cues which can affect their decisions

Question 13

Is it the figures indicating risk or the perception of risk that influences choice?

Answer 13

Perception

Question 14

What is an informed decision based upon?

Answer 14

All advantages and disadvantages and consequences
Evaluating options with own values
Trade off evaluations to make a choice and act on it

Question 15

When does decision making go wrong?

Answer 15

Missing information/limited search for information
Judgements or inferences are biased
Think too much and find counter evidence that does not add more to the decision representation

Question 16

What are the 3 types of errors made in diagnosis by doctors?

Answer 16

No fault (silent disease, not known, poor patient data)
System fault (missed appointment, delay in x ray etc)
Cognitive fault (misdiagnosis from poor data collection/interpretation, flawed reasoning, incomplete knowledge)

Question 17

What is Croskerry’s dual process model of diagnostic reasoning? (2009)

Answer 17

Model for diagnosis that takes into account context, ability and pattern processing - some diagnoses are a lot more likely and therefore more likely to be spotted

Question 18

What is dysrationalia override?

Answer 18

You use the wrong conscious judgement - relying on context rather than the patient (e.g. think someone is drunk because its a friday night)

Question 19

What is required for people to have active open mindedness ?

Answer 19

Search for more options
Look for counter evidence (pros and cons of each option)
Balance effort of information searching with appeal of cognitive miser