Jason Doctor, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy:

Using psychology to influence physician decisions.

Abstract: The use of psychology to influence physician decisions is a growing area of interest within the medical field. In this talk, we will discuss the ways in which psychological principles can be applied to influence physician decisions. We will review four of our own randomized field studies that use different strategies, such as commitment devices and social norms, to help physicians make decisions that align with their long-term goals and make evidence-based decisions more socially acceptable. We will also discuss the use of feedback on the outcomes of patients to make the potential harm of medical care decisions more readily available to memory. Together studies find that small changes to the physician's environment can improve decisions often with negligible cost and without appealing to a rational model of decision-making.

This event is organized by the USC Price School Behavioral Science and Well-Being Policy Initiative & Dornsife Department of Psychology, Social Psychology Brownbag Seminar Series.