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Rationality in medical treatment decisions: is there a sunk-cost effect?
B H Bornstein1, A C Emler, G B Chapman
1Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70803, USA. psbrian@unix1.sncc.lsu.edu
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|July 22, 1999
Summary
Medical residents avoid the sunk-cost effect in treatment decisions, showing rational judgment. However, they exhibit this bias in everyday non-medical choices, indicating domain-specific decision-making skills.
Area of Science:
- Decision Science
- Medical Education
- Cognitive Bias
Background:
- The sunk-cost effect is an irrational bias where individuals continue a behavior due to prior investment.
- Understanding this bias in medical professionals is crucial for patient care and resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate medical residents' susceptibility to the sunk-cost effect in clinical decision-making.
- To compare residents' bias in medical versus non-medical contexts and with undergraduates.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted with internal medicine and family practice residents and college undergraduates.
- Participants evaluated hypothetical medical and non-medical scenarios involving varying prior investments.
Main Results:
- Medical residents' decisions on continuing or switching treatments were not influenced by the initial investment.
- Residents displayed rational reasoning in medical scenarios but showed the sunk-cost effect in non-medical situations, similar to undergraduates.
Conclusions:
- Medical training appears to foster rational decision-making, mitigating the sunk-cost effect in clinical contexts.
- The observed sunk-cost effect in non-medical situations suggests decision-making advantages conferred by medical training are domain-specific.