Brian Zikmund-Fisher took the lead on a study published this week in which we found evidence that when people face tough decisions, it helps for them to break the decision into smaller pieces, and take it one step at a time. Here is a link to some media coverage in India.
Do patients need the numbers?
An interesting article by Peter Schwartz in the latest Hastings Center Report on whether patients, facing difficult medical decisions, ought to get precise numbers on the risks and benefits of their alternatives. I contributed a commentary, urging researchers to keep developing better ways to help patients make rational use of the numbers.
Jonah Lehrer Ready for a Shove
The Wall Street Journal article linked below discusses why changing behavior may take more than the kind of nudges some behavioral economists have been promoting. As Lehrer points out, this is an idea I have been pushing (but not shoving, of course!) for a while.
Is ‘Nudging’ Really Enough? – WSJ
What would you do, doc?
A bunch of media outlets are beginning to report on a new study of mine (conducted with a couple of great colleagues) in which we found that docs choose different treatments for themselves than they recommend to their patients. Kinda scary stuff. This Marketplace report is worth listening to. Check out the ‘News and Press’ page for links to some of the other reports.