Do decision biases predict bad decisions? Omission bias, naturalness bias, and influenza vaccination Journal Article
| Authors: | Dibonaventura, M. D.; Chapman, G. B. |
| Article Title: | Do decision biases predict bad decisions? Omission bias, naturalness bias, and influenza vaccination |
| Abstract: | Purpose. Numerous studies using hypothetical vignettes have demonstrated decision biases or deviations from utility theory. Do people who commit biases in questionnaire studies make worse real-world decisions than do less biased people? Methods. Two hundred seventy university faculty and staff participated in a questionnaire study in which they reported whether they accepted a free influenza vaccine offered at their work place. Influenza vaccine acceptance was the measure of real-world decision making. Participants responded to 3 hypothetical scenarios. Two scenarios measured the omission bias and described a vaccine (scenario 1) and a medication (scenario 2) that prevented a negative health outcome but that itself could cause the negative health outcome. The omission bias is a preference for not vaccinating or medicating even when the vaccine/medication lowers the total risk of the negative outcome. A 3rd scenario measured the naturalness bias by presenting a choice between 2 chemically identical medications, one extracted from a natural herb and the other synthesized in a laboratory. Preference for the natural medication indicated the naturalness bias. Results. The results indicated that a substantial proportion of participants exhibited these biases and that participants who exhibited these biases were less likely to accept the flu vaccine. Conclusions. To the extent that declining a free flu vaccine is a worse real-world decision, people who demonstrate the naturalness and omission biases in hypothetical scenarios make worse real-world decisions. |
| Keywords: | adult; aged; middle aged; medical decision making; health behavior; influenza vaccination; questionnaires; questionnaire; vaccination; attitude; herbaceous agent; bias (epidemiology); decision making; influenza vaccine; influenza; influenza, human; university; naturalness bias; omission bias; employee |
| Journal Title: | Medical Decision Making |
| Volume: | 28 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| ISSN: | 0272-989X |
| Publisher: | Sage Publications |
| Date Published: | 2008-07-01 |
| Start Page: | 532 |
| End Page: | 539 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1177/0272989x07312723 |
| PUBMED: | 18319507 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 3" - "Export Date: 17 November 2011" - "CODEN: MDMAD" - "Source: Scopus" |
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