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A Fuzzy-Trace Theory of Judgment and Decision-Making in Health Care: Explanation, Prediction, and Application

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Handbook of Health Decision Science

Abstract

We discuss how an evidence-based theory of human behavior and decision-making—Fuzzy-Trace Theory (FTT)—can be used to better understand and improve public health and medicine. We present an overview of the theory, describing its core principles as well as illustrative evidence. Applications are discussed in the areas of risk perception, prevention, detection and diagnosis of disease, and decision-making regarding treatment. We then review findings from interventions designed to improve health judgments and medical decision-making by effectively communicating risks and benefits. The theory provides guidelines for development of such interventions because it predicts reactions to health messages and explains the causal mechanisms of judgment and decision-making. We also present recommendations for future research.

Preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Award Number R21CA149796 and National Institute of Nursing Research R01NR014368-01 to the second author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA

    Priscila G. Brust-Renck & Evan A. Wilhelms

  2. Departments of Human Development and Psychology, Center for Behavioral Economics and Decision Research and Cornell Magnetic Resonance Imaging Facility, Cornell University, 331 Martha van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Valerie F. Reyna

  3. Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA

    Andrew N. Lazar

Authors
  1. Priscila G. Brust-Renck
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  2. Valerie F. Reyna
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  3. Evan A. Wilhelms
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  4. Andrew N. Lazar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Valerie F. Reyna .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA

    Michael A. Diefenbach

  2. Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Suzanne Miller-Halegoua

  3. Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Deborah J. Bowen

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Brust-Renck, P.G., Reyna, V.F., Wilhelms, E.A., Lazar, A.N. (2016). A Fuzzy-Trace Theory of Judgment and Decision-Making in Health Care: Explanation, Prediction, and Application. In: Diefenbach, M., Miller-Halegoua, S., Bowen, D. (eds) Handbook of Health Decision Science. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3486-7_6

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