Research on how people make decisions. Covers workplace food choices, medication risk trade-offs, and treatment selection in mental health.
Researchers discovered that rewarding correct decisions can enhance brain function in the cortex and improve learning. Targeted manipulation of dopamine levels may lead to new possibilities in treating patients after a stroke or improving cognitive abilities.
A study in Medical Decision Making found that a large-scale anthrax attack would overwhelm hospital resources even with an effective public health response due to expected delays. Researchers developed best practices guidelines for modeling disaster responses, including striking the right balance between simplicity and complexity.
Researchers at Arizona State University and Princeton University found that ants can accomplish a task more rationally than humans due to their collective decision-making process. By minimizing individual mistakes, the 'wisdom of crowds' approach emerges, leading to more accurate outcomes.
The IOM CER Committee recommends prioritizing research on high-priority topics, including improving the uptake of new knowledge and its translation into better decision-making. The committee aims to create a sustainable national CER initiative that can improve healthcare for individual patients and communities.
A new online decision tool allows prostate cancer patients to weigh their own preferences against medical data to personalize treatment plans. The tool considers multiple factors, including life expectancy and side effects, to guide treatment decisions.
Researchers at Penn found that people ignore crucial information when making decisions, leading to miscalculations of body weight and calories. The 'Unit Bias' heuristic causes participants to focus solely on certain dimensions, neglecting others.
Researchers uncover neural mechanism supporting adaptability and decision-making under uncertainty, with the frontal lobe playing a critical role in tracking evidence and switching behavior.
A study led by Michigan State University's Chris Melde found that children who join gangs report a decrease in fear of victimization, even though they face greater risks. The researchers suggest that intervening during this critical period could impact gang members' decisions to stay or leave the group.
A Swedish study found that 70% of extremely preterm infants born alive between 22-26 weeks survived at least one year. Proactive perinatal management likely contributed to this outcome, making it crucial to reassess decision-making for these infants.
Researchers used fMRI to study participants engaging in a complex risky choice task, revealing different brain regions predicting specific choices and individual strategic biases. The findings indicate that the neural mechanisms of choice reflect more than competition between decision variables.
The American Pain Society has issued a new clinical practice guideline for low back pain, recommending noninvasive treatments over interventional procedures and shared decision making. The guideline provides eight recommendations to help determine the best way to treat patients with persistent back pain.
Researchers found that learning from experience changes brain circuitry, enabling quicker categorization and decision-making in uncertain situations. The study suggests that previous experience is retained in brain circuits, influencing flexible decisions and actions.
A study by NUI Galway found that older people living in residential care need a holistic approach to maintain a good quality of life. Key factors include the ethos of care, sense of self and identity, connection with others and activities.
Researchers found that brain cells in the lateral intraparietal cortex predict direction choice and uncertainty, revealing a link between decision making and certainty. The study suggests a simple mechanism underlying both, bringing certainty under the same rubric as choice and reaction time.
A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience reveals that a person's susceptibility to biased economic decision-making is influenced by their genetic make-up. The research found that variation in the serotonin transporter gene affects how individuals respond to framing effects, with those carrying the 'short' variant being more...
A University of Haifa study found that exposure to stories about successful risk-taking decisions influenced investment advisors' perceptions of a Nasdaq-traded stock. The study suggests that psychological factors, such as priming, can shape financial decision-making. This phenomenon highlights the importance of considering psychology ...
A new study examines how distraction affects product decisions and finds that it can be helpful for those with a configural mindset. Consumers who focus on overall impressions of products make more accurate evaluations after being distracted.
A study published in Psychological Science found that acute stress impairs rational thinking, causing individuals to become more conservative in financial decisions but riskier when losses are involved. This can have significant implications for personal finance and decision-making under stress.
Researchers found that breast cancer screening's life-saving benefit gradually increases with age, but the majority of women do not need regular mammograms to save lives. The study estimated that around 1 in 5,000 women will be saved by screening between ages 40-59.
Researchers found that backcasters, who imagine future feelings and consider event information, predict more extreme emotions than forecasters. This approach could benefit marketers by changing consumers' expectations about their feelings after an event.
A new Georgia State University study found that police officers with a higher ability to multitask are less likely to shoot unarmed persons when feeling threatened during video simulations. Officers with lower working memory capacity and high negative emotionality were more likely to make shooting decisions.
A new study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that teams with a 'socially distinct newcomer' are more likely to solve problems successfully. The key factor is not the newcomer's skills or knowledge, but their ability to shake up the group dynamic and create discomfort among team members.
A recent report by Professor David Spiegelhalter suggests that London's murder numbers follow a predictable pattern, with certain aspects being statistically expected. The study found that the number of murders in London is not unusually high and has remained stable over the past five years.
The study found that individuals who focus on individual choices are more loss-averse, while those considering portfolio strategies exhibit less emotional response to losses. This shift in perspective reduces physiological arousal, such as increased sweating, associated with financial losses.
Patients who undergo aggressive brain surgery after a severe stroke generally improve their lives and live longer, according to research by neurologists at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The study found that patients who didn't have the surgery were about three times more likely to die within a year than those who did.
Leading experts Colin Hay and Gerry Stoker say politics has become 'depoliticised' due to key decisions being handed over to independent bodies. They argue that politicians have lost trust in their ability to govern effectively and in the collective interest, leading to a disenchantment with the conduct of politics.
A new computer-aided method using MDCT detected and measured 83 pneumothoraces with high accuracy, outperforming manual volumetric measurements. The system reduced measurement time from 30 minutes to just three minutes.
A Brown University study found that the frontal lobe controls decision-making along a continuum from abstract to concrete, with damage affecting higher-level functions but not lower ones. The research suggests specific areas of the frontal cortex are required for different levels of abstract decision-making.
Researchers at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and the Wisconsin School of Business found that people are consistently overly optimistic when predicting future behavior. By asking individuals to make two sets of predictions - one ideal and one realistic - participants reported more accurate estimates and improved decision-ma...
A new project aims to analyze if ethical training programs can prevent doping and unfair behavior in sports by teaching ethical competencies. The online program will be designed to evaluate its effectiveness in preventing doping among young elite athletes aged 12-14.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have created a mathematical model to explore the roles of noise in controlling DNA replication and cell division. The study reveals flaws in two accepted notions about information processing in single cells, suggesting that the average number of mRNA molecules must be much larger than previously thought.
Researchers found that shoppers focus on the first digit of prices, leading to biased decision-making. The study suggests that consumers should be aware of this tendency when making purchases.
A study found that people tend to overestimate their long-term enjoyment of products, leading them to choose cheaper options with fewer features. This is because consumers who think about how long they will use a product and anticipate decreased enjoyment are less likely to buy premium items.
Taxonomist Barbara Taylor highlights the need to consider uncertainty in taxonomy for threatened and endangered species. She proposes incorporating uncertainty into decision-making processes using risk assessment models, which can aid precautionary conservation measures.
A new study confirms that young teenagers think less about the future than adults, but it's not because they're impulsive. Research suggests that immaturity in brain systems governing sensation seeking, rather than self-control, contributes to this phenomenon.
A study by Rutgers University scientists found that both humans and mice are proficient in assessing risk, challenging traditional views of human decision-making. The research suggests that risk assessment is a programmed cognitive mechanism that is present in many animals.
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people who deliberately weigh their options make less accurate judgments than those who trust their instincts. In five separate studies, researchers found that complex decisions led to decreased effectiveness of deliberation.
A new study in Strategic Management Journal examines how outside directors' prior experience influences a firm's acquisitions. The study finds that firms with experienced directors make better acquisition decisions, especially when the acquired products are similar to those being pursued by the firm.
A study of healthcare providers and patients found that they often disagree on the need for total knee replacement surgery, despite both agreeing on its benefits. Patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment recommendations improve when there is greater agreement between providers and patients.
A study of surrogate decision-makers for critically ill patients found that 87% want to hear all prognostic estimates, even if uncertain. Family members value candor in discussing uncertain outcomes and want to prepare for the chance of their loved one's death.
Researchers at the University of Rochester found that humans make optimal decisions when their unconscious brain processes information. A test revealed that people's brains subconsciously gather data and reach a confidence threshold before reporting a decision to the conscious mind.
New brain-imaging research from UC San Diego finds that visual areas respond more strongly to objects of value, altering neural activation in the human visual system. This altered processing affects not only high-level cognitive function but also early stages of information processing.
A new study examines how consumers evaluate brand features to make choices, finding that goal-oriented individuals prefer rapid progress in decision-making, while those focused on avoiding mistakes value detailed information. This understanding has important implications for designing persuasive marketing messages.
The special section of Medical Decision Making examines three evidence-based theories to assess, prevent, and intervene in healthcare decisions. These theories provide a bridge between research advances and health outcomes.
A University of Minnesota study using fMRI scans found that considering a third, less attractive option can improve preference for the better item. This 'decoy effect' can help consumers make easier choices, reducing negative emotions and increasing sales for retailers.
A recent study found that powerful individuals make better decisions when they engage in unconscious thinking, similar to the way most people process information. The research suggests that having power changes how people think and approach complex decision-making.
Researchers found that unconscious thought was not always effective in making the best choices. Instead, thinking about a decision at one's own pace and focusing on the problem led to larger payoffs. The study suggests that relying on self-paced conscious thought can be a more reliable approach for complex decisions.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have created new agent-based models to better understand market behavior and predict potential economic catastrophes. These models use information from surveys and simulations to forecast how individual actors in a market make decisions, allowing policymakers to anticipate and avoid meltdowns.
Researchers at UT Health Science Center Houston are tackling healthcare information technology issues using a $1.3 million AHRQ grant, focusing on projects to increase patient safety. The trainees aim to design systems that help physicians prioritize notifications and make informed decisions in the emergency room.
Neuroscientists from the University of Washington found that stress impairs rats' ability to seek out larger rewards in a maze, lasting several days. A study using rats and muscimol to inactivate the amygdala showed that stressed rats were unable to adjust their behavior and learn from experience.
Stickleback fish follow a consensus decision-making process to choose their leader, prioritizing size, fatness, and health. As group size increases, accuracy improves, but occasional errors occur due to submission to peers and cascades of incorrect decisions.
Entrepreneurs are riskier decision-makers than managers, according to a study published in Nature. The study found that entrepreneurs' 'functional impulsivity', or ability to make quick decisions under stress, is linked to brain neurochemistry and may be possible to teach or enhance with pharmaceuticals.
Researchers found that making comparisons, even on unrelated topics, activates a comparative mind-set that boosts willingness to buy one out of two options. This effect persists and influences decisions in subsequent situations.
Researchers found that people choose differently when given feedback in experiential choices compared to descriptive choices. The study suggests that feedback may drive individuals towards rational decision-making by treating small probabilities more objectively.
Scientists report that a simple decision-making task does not involve the frontal lobes, instead relying on the parietal lobe to process sensory information and control responses. This finding challenges the traditional view of human decision-making as willful acts, suggesting that many decisions may be driven by automatic processes.
A new study examines how stress affects decision-making in older and younger adults, revealing that stressed older adults alter their behavior more significantly. The researchers found that stressed older adults were not only more cautious but also jerkier drivers, braking almost three times as much as their calmer peers.
A study published in Management Science found that distant participants make less accurate judgments when communicating via videoconferencing. Face-to-face meetings allow for more nuanced interpretation of nonverbal cues.
A study published in Medical Decision Making found that cardiac risk estimates vary between Christians and Muslims, with more serious estimates given to Christians. The research highlights the psychological impact of mortality concerns on healthcare decisions.
Norhealth is a web-based system monitoring health trends and risk factors in Norway, creating a knowledge base for health strategies. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has developed this leading public health information system in Europe.
The International Council for Science has launched a 10-year research program to address the gaps in knowledge and methods preventing effective application of science to mitigate disasters. The program aims to provide enhanced global capacity to address hazards and make better decisions to reduce their impacts.