Thesis
Explaining individual differences in risk and benefit sensitivity for treatment recommendations of others with cognitive dysfunction: the role of political orientation, religious activity, and moral intuitions
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jun 2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000781
Abstract
Prior research suggests that risk and benefit sensitivity mediate medical decision, can be measured during neuroethical judgments, and vary across individuals. Ideology, such as political beliefs, religiosity, and morality could explain these differences. To investigate this possibility, we used a risky decision- making task to measure individuals' risk and benefit sensitivity when making choices about whether or not to recommend a hypothetical treatment for cognitive dysfunction. We additionally surveyed the participants to measure their political affiliations, religious activity, and moral intuitions and used mixed effect modeling to test our hypotheses that political affiliation, religious activeness, and moral intuitions would each predict individual difference in risk and benefit sensitivity. We found that ideological characteristics moderate risk and benefit sensitivity for choices that involve modifying the human brain. Specifically, participants who reported higher conservatism had lower risk sensitivity and those who scored highest on religious activeness had both lower risk and benefit sensitivity. Among the measures of moral intuitions, we found that higher scores for the foundation of sanctity and fairness predicted higher risk sensitivity. These findings suggest that the public's risk and benefit sensitivity during treatment recommendations for others are expressions of political, religious, and moral beliefs. Future research could assess the extent to which these beliefs influence real-world choices. In doing so, we can determine moderators of public opinion, and clinician recommendations. Further, this study establishes using behavioral choice tasks in psychological studies of cognitive repair and beliefs to guide discussions involving treatments for cognitive dysfunction.
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Details
- Title
- Explaining individual differences in risk and benefit sensitivity for treatment recommendations of others with cognitive dysfunction
- Creators
- Kianté Fernandez
- Contributors
- John D. Medaglia (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- vii, 33 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology); College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991015274071304721