Heuristics across contexts: An examination of pediatricians' reasoning.
Item
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Title
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Heuristics across contexts: An examination of pediatricians' reasoning.
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Identifier
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AAI9000032
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identifier
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9000032
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Creator
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Heller, Rachael F.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Herbert D. Saltzstein
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Date
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1989
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Experimental | Psychology, General
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Abstract
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The purpose of this research was to study the use of heuristics, i.e., strategies or shortcuts in decision making, by physicians in work and non-work contexts.;A questionnaire, comprised of paired hypothetical vignettes, was presented to physician-subjects. Each vignette was designed to test for the use of a particular heuristic in either medical or non-medical decision making contexts.;Responses to vignette-based questions within medical and non-medical contexts were analyzed and served as a basis of comparison. For each heuristic, the data were analyzed to determine the frequency of heuristic use and differences between contexts. Physician-subjects were grouped according to level of hospital experience, i.e., first, second and third year residence. Responses were analyzed for differences related to experience levels as well as in relation to context.;Heuristic use was found in all areas studied: redundancy, disregard of base-rate, discounting and augmentation, as well as evidence of confusion of prospective and retrospective probabilities. Analysis of the influence of context and/or experience on heuristic use revealed that the use of augmentation, confusion of prospective and retrospective probability, and use of redundant data were not influenced by either context or experience. Contextual differences were observed in the use of discounting and disregard of base-rate data. Interaction effects of context and experience were observed in the use of discounting and the disregard of base-rate information. In addition, some subjects perceived contextually presented data as if it provided more information than listed data. Differences in perception were related to an interaction of context and experience.;Published critiques of Tversky and Kahneman's work have asserted that heuristic use cannot be generalized across contexts. This research provides support for the hypothesis that the use of some heuristics differs across contexts. A model of prototype matching is presented to explain observed differences.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
