TY - JOUR
T1 - Probability biases in genetic problem solving
T2 - A comparison of undergraduates, genetic counseling graduate students, and genetic counselors
AU - Dewhurst, Margaret E.
AU - Veach, Patricia Mc Carthy
AU - Lampman, Claudia
AU - Petraitis, John
AU - Kao, Juihsien
AU - LeRoy, Bonnie
PY - 2007/4
Y1 - 2007/4
N2 - Heuristics are mental shortcuts that aid people in everyday problem-solving and decision-making. Although numerous studies have demonstrated their use in contexts ranging from consumers' shopping decisions to experts' estimations of experimental validity, virtually no published research has addressed heuristics use in problems involving genetic conditions and associated risk probabilities. The present research consists of two studies. In the first study, 220 undergraduates attempted to solve four genetic problems-two common heuristic problems modified to focus on genetic likelihood, and two created to study heuristics and probability rule application. Results revealed that the vast majority of undergraduates used heuristics and also demonstrated a complete misuse of probability rules. In the second study, 156 practicing genetic counselors and 89 genetic counseling students solved slightly modified versions of the genetic problems used in Study 1. Results indicated that a large percentage of both genetic counselors and students used heuristics, but the counselors demonstrated superior problem-solving performance compared to both the genetic counseling students and the undergraduates from Study 1. Research, training, and practice recommendations are presented.
AB - Heuristics are mental shortcuts that aid people in everyday problem-solving and decision-making. Although numerous studies have demonstrated their use in contexts ranging from consumers' shopping decisions to experts' estimations of experimental validity, virtually no published research has addressed heuristics use in problems involving genetic conditions and associated risk probabilities. The present research consists of two studies. In the first study, 220 undergraduates attempted to solve four genetic problems-two common heuristic problems modified to focus on genetic likelihood, and two created to study heuristics and probability rule application. Results revealed that the vast majority of undergraduates used heuristics and also demonstrated a complete misuse of probability rules. In the second study, 156 practicing genetic counselors and 89 genetic counseling students solved slightly modified versions of the genetic problems used in Study 1. Results indicated that a large percentage of both genetic counselors and students used heuristics, but the counselors demonstrated superior problem-solving performance compared to both the genetic counseling students and the undergraduates from Study 1. Research, training, and practice recommendations are presented.
KW - Genetic counseling probability
KW - Genetic counseling risk
KW - Heuristics and genetic risk
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U2 - 10.1007/s10897-006-9050-7
DO - 10.1007/s10897-006-9050-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 17333407
AN - SCOPUS:33847665048
SN - 1059-7700
VL - 16
SP - 157
EP - 170
JO - Journal of Genetic Counseling
JF - Journal of Genetic Counseling
IS - 2
ER -