Research on how people make decisions. Covers workplace food choices, medication risk trade-offs, and treatment selection in mental health.
A global survey of 1,044 healthcare providers reveals that most expectant mothers delay discussing breastfeeding techniques until after delivery or even before the baby arrives. However, experts emphasize the importance of planning and preparation in overcoming breastfeeding challenges. To support expectant mothers, Lansinoh has develo...
Research presented at the American Psychological Association's annual convention found that focusing on one's future can help individuals make better financial decisions. The study, which surveyed over 700 adults in the US, discovered that those who spent more time contemplating events yet to come scored significantly lower in impulsiv...
A new study from Northeastern University found that people are more likely to delegate decisions when faced with choices affecting others, rather than themselves. Researchers discovered that individuals tend to avoid delegating unappealing choices on their own behalf, but will do so for someone else to minimize blame.
A study found that lean men who experience low blood sugar are less fair in their economic decision-making, especially when it comes to hiring and salary decisions involving obese individuals. This bias can lead to employment disparities and unfair treatment of corpulent people in the workplace.
Researchers develop mathematical models to mimic bird navigation in turbulent thermals, revealing key environmental cues like vertical wind acceleration and torque. The study aims to guide the design of energy-efficient autonomous gliders.
A study of over 2,400 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer found that online communication is used to enhance decision making and care support, but barriers exist across age, race, and education levels.
Geographers from UC Santa Barbara's Climate Hazards Group will help African scientists predict food deficits using remote sensing tools and climate data. The new project aims to provide early warning systems for severe hunger, giving policymakers four months of advanced notice to allocate resources.
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that compromise is less likely to occur when two men make decisions together, whereas it's a common practice among female-female and mixed-gender pairs. Men tend to prefer extreme options to prove their masculinity, while women act more pragmatically and choose the middle ...
Researchers at WashU Medicine discovered a region of the brain involved in decisions made under uncertainty and identified cells that suppress value-coding neurons when making a risky choice. This study could lead to treatments for psychological disorders, such as problem gambling and anxiety disorders.
Researchers aim to reduce errors in warning decisions by considering all three key aspects: who, what, and when. Effective warnings are crucial for mitigating casualties and increasing transparency.
Researchers aim to improve energy efficiency in software applications by increasing understanding of their impact on power usage. The three-year project will develop novel automatic analyses and tools to support decision-making, with the goal of enabling software engineers to create more energy-efficient code.
Researchers aim to reduce decision-making errors with cognitive flexibility training, building on previous studies that showed sleep deprivation affects sustained attention and causes 'feedback blunting' phenomenon. The three-year project will test its effectiveness in a laboratory-based experiment.
A new study from New York University neuroscientists reveals the brain's role in decision-making. By using confidence to gauge errors, the brain revises its approach, even in complex situations like medical diagnoses and financial investments.
A new pilot study evaluates an online decision-support tool called the Decision Counseling Program, which increases rates of active surveillance among men with localized, low-risk prostate cancer. Patients who used the tool reported feeling less conflicted about their treatment decisions.
Johns Hopkins researchers track brain activity as participants make choices entirely on their own, pinpointing the parietal lobe's role in attention switching and frontal cortex involvement in deliberation. The findings shed light on the neural mechanisms underlying human volition and decision-making.
A new study has found that intensive care units provide adequate communication and family support for families of chronically ill patients, rendering palliative care unnecessary. The study revealed no difference in patient outcomes when families received additional support from palliative care specialists versus standard ICU care.
A study found that pea plants choose to grow more roots in a pot with variable nutrient levels when the average level is low, accepting more risk. This decision-making ability allows them to adapt and respond to their environment much like humans or other animals.
In a groundbreaking study, pea plants were found to make choices that take into account environmental variance, similar to animal behavior. The plants grew more roots in pots with variable nutrient levels when conditions were poor and more roots in constant pots when conditions were good.
A recent study published in The BMJ found that medical devices approved first in the EU have a higher rate of safety issues, while clinical trial results remain unpublished or unavailable up to five years after approval. Experts call for greater regulatory transparency to enable informed decisions about treatment.
Researchers investigated the Goffin's cockatoo's ability to make flexible decisions about tool use based on the current 'market' situation. The study found that the birds could overcome immediate impulses in favor of future gains, but only when both tools were not offered simultaneously due to limitations in working memory capacity.
Clinical research waste is estimated at 85% of total medical research costs. Professor Ioannidis argues that reforming clinical research with problem-base, context-placing, and patient-centered features can make it more useful to clinicians. This would result in more efficient and effective clinical decision-making.
A study by Hiroshima University reveals that women in Japan are more likely to accept employer-provided retirement savings plans over self-managed options. This phenomenon is linked to the 'Prince Charming Syndrome,' where women believe a future spouse will take care of their financial security.
The Aspirin-Guide app calculates cardiovascular disease and bleeding risk scores to help clinicians decide which patients are suitable for low-dose aspirin. It provides personalized decision-making support for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, facilitating informed discussions between healthcare providers and patients.
Researchers found that diminishing free will leads to increased self-alienation and decreased authentic feelings. In contrast, high-free-will groups showed greater self-awareness and authentic decision-making.
Researchers tracked macaque monkeys' neural activity as they weighed options for juice rewards, predicting their choices based on brain patterns. The study sheds light on internal decision-making processes and could lead to implants to treat addiction, anxiety, and depression.
Researchers studied Physarum polycephalum's decision-making abilities using the two-armed bandit problem, finding it compares relative options to make adaptive decisions. The slime mold's algorithm exploits environments in proportion to their reward experienced through past sampling.
Despite compelling evidence of PrEP's effectiveness, NHS England has yet to commission the treatment, leading to continued delays. The National Aids Trust is taking the matter to court for judicial review, citing discrimination against vulnerable groups.
Researchers found that Medicare Advantage patients are younger, healthier, and more likely to be black and live in cities than those enrolled in traditional Medicare. They also reported better health outcomes and fewer problems performing daily life activities on their own.
Researchers developed a new method to measure healthcare value transparently, combining quality and cost measures. They found that hospitals' ability to deliver high-quality, low-cost care varied across procedures, with those providing the highest-value care having more beds and beds than those providing the lowest-value care.
Researchers at the University of Sussex found that a circuit comprising just two neurons in a snail's brain drives complex decision making. The system enables energy-efficient behavior by reducing brain activity when food is not found.
A new study of over 25,000 people found that declining levels of dopamine in the brain may be responsible for older people's reduced willingness to take risks for potential rewards. Older adults were less likely to choose risky gambles to win points, but not to avoid losing points.
Researchers found that female atrial fibrillation patients are less likely than men to receive blood thinning therapies. The study used a computerized decision support tool to review medical therapies for over 1,500 patients and found significant sex differences in treatment.
A new study reveals that male sparrows can distinguish between their faithful and unfaithful partners. When paired with an unfaithful female, males provide less food for their chicks. The research suggests that males make this decision based on the partner's behavior during fertile periods rather than detecting which chicks are theirs.
Research at Georgia State University found that increasing difficulty in making decisions based on sensory evidence boosts activity in the insular cortex. The study sheds light on how this brain area processes sensory information and drives behaviors.
The University of Southampton is part of a £5.3 million programme to create robust national infrastructure planning tools. It will provide framework for information analysis and networking to inform strategic decisions, pinpoint vulnerabilities and risks.
Researchers create Quantitative Input Influence (QII) measures to provide insights into AI decision-making processes. The approach accounts for correlated inputs and quantifies the joint influence of multiple factors on outcomes.
A recent Cochrane review found insufficient evidence to conclude that dressings reduce surgical site infection. However, dressings may provide a barrier to direct injury and reduce patient anxiety. The authors recommend using basic, low-absorbency dressings at a cost of a few pence per dressing.
Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School are developing a web-based care plan for osteoarthritis patients, utilizing a national database of total joint replacement patients. The care plan aims to improve patient-clinician interaction and informed decision-making, enhancing the quality of care and outcomes.
Research by University of Notre Dame found that companies with higher female representation on boards engage less in mergers and acquisitions, identifying potential challenges in deals. The study suggests diverse board dynamics lead to more thorough discussions, increasing likelihood of deal delays or shelving.
A team of researchers from Google DeepMind and the University of Oxford used a navigational game to decode human brain's decision-making processes. They found that brain activity increases with the number of line changes between participants and their destinations, rather than individual stations.
The Samfund, a Boston-based cancer organization, will receive $8,500 from ASTRO for its work in supporting young adult cancer survivors financially. The grant funding will support the development of new financial programs and tools to aid in recovery.
A study found that physician-surrogate discordance about prognosis occurs in 53% of cases, with misunderstandings and differences in belief being common causes. Clinicians should check in with surrogates before making decisions about patient care.
Researchers have developed low-cost temperature sensors to help local authorities make targeted gritting decisions. The sensors can detect significant temperature differences across a county, enabling localized decisions about when and where to apply salt, potentially saving £100 million per year.
Researchers found that human brains produce feelings of confidence that mirror statistical calculations, informing decisions. The study's model suggests that confidence is an objective computation, with the brain acting as a 'statistician' to make informed choices.
A study found that human responses and statistical calculations align in making decisions, indicating an objective calculation of confidence. The model suggests that the brain produces feelings of confidence inform decisions like computers pull patterns from data.
A study from McGill University found that repeat drunk drivers and speeding offenders have unique emotional and behavioral profiles, making prevention strategies more effective when tailored to their characteristics. The research suggests that high-risk drivers respond better to targeted interventions addressing their specific traits.
A Dartmouth College study measures bias in how we learn and make decisions, revealing contradictory biases when combining evidence from different sources. The research shows that our ability for learning and inference is limited and biased due to the inability to separate information about cues from overall probability of outcomes.
A new study suggests that Americans' skepticism towards climate change may be partly due to the perception of milder winters and dryer summers. This cognitive dissonance between self-experienced changes and long-term threats makes it challenging for people to make climate-conscious decisions.
A new study from North Carolina State University finds that players' behavior in narrative role-playing games (RPGs) consistently reflects specific character roles, regardless of whether the role is assigned or chosen. The researchers also found that players without explicit role information still tend to exhibit role-based behavior.
Research shows that people who face uncertain outcomes may prioritize high-risk options even when unrelated to romance. This study found that exposure to unfavorable sex ratios led participants to make riskier financial decisions, such as investing more in a single high-stakes option.
A new travel study by UConn faculty will gather current data on residents' travel characteristics to inform transportation infrastructure decisions. The study aims to determine the role of transit, biking, and walking in improving mobility in communities.
A new RAND Corporation report calls for trimming the US national security decision-making system to improve effectiveness and efficiency. The study recommends downsizing the National Security Council staff, improving intelligence integration, and assigning senior officials across agencies to ensure coherence in decision-making.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin developed a new system to predict floods in real-time using advanced computing resources. With the National Flood Interoperability Experiment (NFIE), they can forecast floods continually, improving the accuracy and speed of flood warnings for communities nationwide.
A tool called Chest Pain Choice facilitates shared decision-making between physicians and patients with chest pain, improving patient knowledge and follow-up care options. The intervention reduced unnecessary testing and hospital admissions without adverse effects.
Researchers at King's College London found that brain stimulation reduced core symptoms of anorexia, including the urge to restrict food intake and feelings of fat. Participants who received real transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) showed more prudent decision-making by waiting for larger rewards.
A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials suggests that antibiotics can be used as primary treatment for mild appendicitis, reducing surgeries by 92% within the first month. However, recurrence rates remain high at 23% and long-term follow-up is needed to determine effectiveness.
The AADR/ADA symposium aims to bridge the gap between research evidence and clinical decision-making. Participants will learn how to quickly access research evidence, interpret its findings, and apply them to patient care.
Researchers found that mortality salience is a significant factor in consumers' reluctance to purchase annuities. The study suggests that when people consider annuities, they are more likely to think about their own mortality, leading to increased anxiety and decreased interest in the product.
The project aims to integrate public health performance measures into the North Texas Council of Governments' regional transportation plan, considering factors like safety, air quality, and physical activity. The research will inform transportation decisions that enhance livability and community development.
Researchers analyzed over 17,000 South Carolina court decisions to find that black offenders are more likely to be jailed and serve longer sentences than their white counterparts. The study highlights racial bias in sentencing decisions, with the 'black penalty' varying depending on an offender's criminal history.