Psychology and Medical Decision-Making

The American Journal of Bioethics, Volume 9, Issue 6 & 7 June 2009 , pgs 79 - 81

Christopher Suhler and Patricia Churchland

"In the target article discussion of the Changing Ethical Norms category, Kon (2009) rightly highlights the contributions psychological research can make to bioethics. In this commentary, we suggest that psychology can be relevant not only at the Changing Ethical Norms level of work, but also at the Ideal versus Reality and Improving Care levels. Thus, our aim is not to suggest potential criticisms or refinements of Kon's proposed framework, but rather to elaborate on the potential contributions of one particular domain of empirical research, psychology. We provide two examples of research relevant to the sorts of decisions encountered in the medical context: findings concerning 1) probabilistic reasoning and 2) framing effects. We then conclude by sketching the broader bioethical implications of such findings..."

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