Research on how people make decisions. Covers workplace food choices, medication risk trade-offs, and treatment selection in mental health.
Research suggests that teenagers' brains are more sensitive to rewarding feedback from peers, changing their calculation of risk. This sensitivity is linked to the unique effect of peer influence on the developing teenage brain, with adolescents taking more risks when observed by peers.
A study at Johns Hopkins Hospital found that providing physicians with upfront price transparency for laboratory tests resulted in a 9% decrease in test orders and significant cost savings. The practice decreased overall use of tests, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars over six months.
A study at Princeton University suggests that erroneous decisions arise from errors in external information rather than brain processing. The researchers created computer models to analyze the brain's decision-making process and found that internal mental processes are remarkably reliable.
Researchers found that adaptable leaders have more complex and differentiated brain networks in areas associated with self-regulation, decision-making, and memory. They also demonstrated greater adaptability and effectiveness in a hypothetical military scenario.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that subtle physical acts of closure can trigger choice closure and increase consumer satisfaction. Consumers who closed lids or menus on their selected items liked what they ate more than those who didn't perform an act of closure.
A new study suggests that medical therapy is a viable alternative to angioplasty in treating stable coronary artery disease, reducing the risk of complications and hospitalizations. The study proposes a targeted approach to shared decision-making, considering treatment options, risks, and outcomes for patients.
A new study from the University of Miami School of Business Administration finds that offering free gifts with emotional products can double purchase likelihood, while cognitive products may see a 50% decrease in sales. The research suggests that marketers should consider the type of product and gift when designing promotions.
A study published in Neuron found that rats achieved optimal performance in less than 300 milliseconds, indicating that taking more time doesn't necessarily lead to better decisions. The researchers suggest that, for certain types of decisions, relying on intuition may be the most effective approach.
Researchers discovered that individuals with large choice sets overestimate probabilities of rare events and take riskier gambles. Participants gathered more information with smaller choice sets, but repeated this pattern with larger sets.
A Parkinson's drug has been shown to reverse age-related impairments in decision making in some older people. The study found that treating older adults with a dopamine-boosting drug improved their ability to learn from rewards and make better decisions, comparable to those in their twenties.
Researchers at WSU will study the effects of fatigue on attention and decision-making to improve 24-hour operations and safety. The study aims to develop an individualized fatigue prediction model and identify genetic markers that explain person-to-person differences in responding to fatigue.
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has developed a novel method called PRedicting Infectious Disease Scalable Model (PRISM) to accurately predict dengue fever outbreaks several weeks before they occur. PRISM extracts relationships between clinical, meteorological, climatic and socio-political data in various regions.
Researchers used brain mapping to study decision-making in rats and found that the hippocampus plays a crucial role in linking memories to future choices. The study suggests that considering possibilities is essential for making better decisions and could lead to interventions to improve cognitive function.
A new somatic symptom disorder in DSM-5 risks mislabeling many people as mentally ill due to a lack of specificity and high false-positive rate. The condition will classify excessive responses to distressing symptoms, potentially leading to inappropriate medical decision-making.
Researchers found that preschoolers can use introspection to improve accuracy in decision-making. They were more likely to choose a 'don't know' option when uncertain. The study, published in Child Development, suggests that children as young as 3 are aware of their uncertainty and can use it to inform their decisions.
A study found that consumers are willing to pay more for faster service with delayed installation and prefer riskier investments with higher expected returns when compared to safe options. This preference reversal highlights the importance of product comparison in consumer decision-making.
The ACC/HRS released appropriate use criteria for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The document assesses 369 real-life clinical scenarios to support physician decision-making, with 45% deemed appropriate for ICD implantation. The criteria help inform clinical judgment while ack...
State supreme court justices who don't face voters are generally more effective than their elected counterparts, according to research led by Princeton University political scientists. The study found that appointed justices bring a higher quality of information to the decision-making process and are less likely to make errors.
The VHA is exploring various HIT projects to improve patient care, decrease medical mistakes, and enhance health outcomes. The special issue highlights new research into innovative approaches using electronic health records, databases, and information systems.
Decision makers who feel powerful are more likely to make decisions that benefit their future selves. Researchers found that power can embolden decision makers and lead to better long-term choices. Power appears to foster saving behavior by putting people in touch with their future selves.
Research by Priyanka Joshi and Nathanael Fast found that powerful individuals are more willing to take larger rewards in the future due to feeling a stronger connection with their future selves. This reduction in temporal discounting allows them to make better, long-term decisions.
A Saint Louis University study found that cardiologists often focus on the device's technology rather than its psychosocial impact and long-term risks. As a result, patients may be left unaware of potential anxiety, depression, and changes in body image after ICD implantation.
A new fuzzy ontology-based system acts as a virtual moderator to bridge positions in negotiations. The system can be applied to everyday decisions and complex EU discussions.
A new AI framework using Markov Decision Processes and Dynamic Decision Networks has been developed to simulate treatment paths, improve patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs. The approach outperforms traditional models in both cost reduction and quality improvement.
A new study found that up to 34% of stroke patients who had their life support withdrawn might have achieved an acceptable level of functioning if support had been continued. The study compared the outcomes of 78 patients whose life support was withdrawn with those of similar patients who remained on life support.
A Penn study found that patients' end-of-life care preferences are heavily influenced by default options, with most preferring comfort-oriented care. The research suggests that clinicians should be aware of this phenomenon when recommending advance directives to their patients.
Decision aids are being reevaluated to determine when it's acceptable to provide a
Researchers found that easy mood-boosters like candy helped seniors perform significantly better on tests of decision-making and working memory. The study showed that a good mood can help overcome some cognitive declines with aging, providing good news for older adults.
A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that priming participants with a belief in moral realism led to increased charitable donations, suggesting that considering objective moral facts can motivate people to behave better.
A new study by Claire McAndrew and Julie Gore found that professional training in real-world scenarios can override laboratory decision preferences. The research suggests that trainers should focus on the professional, task, and environment to understand how decisions are made.
Researchers found that patients view physicians who use decision aids as less capable and may assign them responsibility for negative health outcomes when using CDSSs. To mitigate this, healthcare providers can incorporate decision aids to engage patients and facilitate understanding of diagnoses.
A new UC Berkeley study suggests that women's domestic power reduces their desire for career advancement. Women who control household decisions reported lower life goals than those who shared decision-making with their spouses. This effect is specific to women and not observed in men.
A study of 177 teenagers found that most were open to receiving texts about health, but preferred tone and content over phrases like 'you should' or 'always.' Interactive quizzes, simple recipes, and links to websites were well-received. The study suggests text messaging as a supplement to in-person nutrition education for teens.
Researchers at the University of Michigan are developing a decision-making aid to support parents in making informed decisions about their child's diagnosis and treatment. The guide will educate families about sex development, genetic testing, and possible consequences of decisions on their child and entire family.
A study found that consumers feeling socially isolated are more likely to pursue riskier financial opportunities. This effect is mediated by the perceived instrumentality of money, as excluded consumers seek to value money as an alternative means to secure their desired outcomes.
A study by University of Illinois professor Michael K. Bednar found that negative media coverage may trigger strategic change in firms with independent boards. The research suggests that corporate boards with outside directors are more strongly influenced by negative media coverage, leading to greater strategic change.
Children aged 5 and over demonstrate rational decision-making skills when making choices to maximize profits, considering odds of winning and loss. Younger children struggle with similar tasks, exhibiting a 'better safe than sorry' approach that can lead to judgment errors.
A new online resource called PREPARE has been developed to help people make complex medical decisions through user-friendly content, videos, and a step-by-step process. The website addresses key aspects of advance care planning and decision making, providing concrete examples and tools for patients and their families.
A new study published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that experts are more effective when making intuitive decisions, especially in tasks with less structure. In two studies, researchers compared expert and non-expert participants on basketball shot difficulty and designer handbag authenticity tasks. Resu...
A study published in Medical Care finds that negative news coverage of nursing homes outweighs positive stories by five to one. Negative articles often focus on negligence, fraud, or industry issues, while positive stories discuss quality of care and community impact.
Research found that both men and women prefer female candidates with masculine voices, regardless of the leadership role. The results suggest that voice pitch can influence perceptions of leadership capacity across different domains.
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that consumers make emotional assessments when making decisions closer to their future. The study suggests that companies should tailor their messages to appeal to feelings or objective assessments based on the proximity of the decision outcome.
A new study reveals that consumers seek to punish fellow shoppers who break rules, yet make exceptions depending on the situation. Consumers are less likely to punish someone if they've been punished by a store employee or have experienced adversity themselves.
Researchers found that individuals with better decision-making skills have lower cortisol levels in saliva during stressful situations. The study used virtual reality technology to induce stress in healthy women and measured cortisol levels in saliva.
A study by Concordia University researchers found that consumers' gazes naturally draw towards centrally placed products. This subconscious visual focus influences purchasing decisions. By understanding these unconscious habits, shoppers can make more informed choices and train themselves to thoroughly scan product displays.
A new study from the University of Missouri found that brief interventions, as short as 30 minutes, can significantly improve exercise habits in college students. Participants who received personalized feedback and set health goals reported increased physical activity compared to those who did not receive the intervention.
A recent study finds that Fortune 1000 companies using marketing analytics see an average 8% increase in return on assets, with potential gains of $70-180 million in net income. The research highlights the key role of management support and analytics skills in successful marketing analytics deployments.
A new neuroimaging study suggests that negative messages are not an effective way to deter drug and alcohol abuse, particularly among those who are substance-dependent. The study found that the brains of substance-dependent individuals show lower brain activity in response to negatively framed messages, leading to riskier decisions.
A new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine has identified the orbitofrontal cortex as a critical brain area involved in value-guided behavior, decision-making, and learning. The research suggests that damage to this area can lead to decreased ability to use prior experience to make good decisions.
A Mayo Clinic case study validates teleconcussion as a useful means to assess concussed patients in rural Arizona. The program uses telemedicine technology to bring concussion expertise to underserved areas, addressing the lack of access to neurological expertise in metropolitan areas.
Researchers found that subjects in a sadness condition exhibited impatience and myopia, leading to financial decisions that prioritized immediate gratification over future rewards. This study has implications for public policy, particularly in estate planning and credit card regulations.
A new set of policy considerations was released by the Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes to address systemic barriers and structural barriers that hinder effective diabetes care. The document proposes concepts to realign financial incentives, enhance patient self-management, and optimize healthcare systems.
Researchers at Penn State used scenario-based games to detect confirmation bias in intelligence analysts. The study found that teams trained in considering alternative hypotheses outperformed others in identifying perpetrators and targets. The game was designed to mimic real-life situations faced by U.S. intelligence analysts in Iraq.
Pediatricians at CHOP developed a three-part survey to help families and doctors make informed decisions about ADHD treatment. The results show that shared decision-making improves healthcare outcomes, but is not widely used in pediatric settings.
A UK-based research project is debating the future of Mongolia's rural areas and its impact on herders' livelihoods. Herders face multiple pressures due to climate change, mining and new policies on land, threatening their traditional nomadic lifestyle.
The implementation of a 24-h ICU in-house staff intensivist coverage significantly improved mortality rates and reduced hospital length of stay by nearly half a day. This model also led to quicker decision-making and a positive trend in end-of-life care quality.
Researchers found that high indoor CO2 concentrations can impair people's decision-making performance, particularly in schools and other spaces with high occupant density. The study used a novel test to assess cognitive performance, revealing large reductions in decision-making ability at CO2 levels of 1,000 ppm.
A RAND Corporation study identified five causes that underlie the failure of many comparative effectiveness studies to create change, including misaligned financial incentives, ambiguous results, and limited use of decision support tools. The study recommends three approaches to improve the impact of such research, including developing...
A new study published in PLOS ONE found that rhesus monkeys prefer a highly-valued food item alone to the same item paired with a lower-value item. This behavior is similar to what has been seen in human studies, where participants rated a highly-valued item more highly than one with multiple items of lesser value.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that people tend to prefer the option they chose over the one they rejected, and this preference can last for years. The researchers used a vacation destination rating task to demonstrate this effect, which was only observed when participants made their own choices.