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Reducing the framing effect in older and younger adults by encouraging analytic processing
Ayanna K Thomas1, Peter R Millar
1Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA. ayanna.thomas@tufts.edu
Summary
Older and younger adults can reduce framing effect susceptibility by making unbiased decision-making information more accessible. Concurrent tasks and analytic instructions improve rational choices in both age groups.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Decision-Making
- Aging and Cognition
Background:
- The framing effect, a cognitive bias, influences decision-making based on how information is presented.
- Understanding age-related differences in susceptibility to cognitive biases is crucial for decision-making research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate methods for reducing the framing effect in both older and younger adults.
- To explore how manipulating information accessibility impacts decision-making biases across age groups.
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: 240 participants (120 older, 120 younger adults) performed decision tasks with concurrent probability calculation or memory tasks.
- Experiment 2: 272 participants (136 older, 136 younger adults) received instructions to "think like a scientist" or rely on "gut reactions" during decision tasks.
Main Results:
- Both concurrent probability calculations (Experiment 1) and "think like a scientist" instructions (Experiment 2) significantly reduced the framing effect in older and younger adults.
- Information accessibility plays a key role in mitigating cognitive biases across different age groups.
Conclusions:
- Making information relevant to unbiased decision-making more accessible can decrease framing effect susceptibility in both older and younger adults.
- Cognitive strategies and task manipulations can enhance rational decision-making processes, regardless of age.
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