Outcome Knowledge, Regret, and Omission Bias

摘要: Subjects made or evaluated decisions in hypothetical scenarios. We manipulated knowledge about the outcome and act vs omission four cases. In case 1 (production processes), acts (changing process) were considered better than omissions when decision maker did not know knew that it was status quo. Acts worse once learned foregone option would have led to an even outcome. 2 (medical treatment), again interacted with gain loss (relative quo) unless of known, which (of two options). 3 (fetal testing), subjects tolerated less risk miscarriage a potential for regret present (because test miscarriage, although better, might miss disorders another detect). This effect greater actions omissions. 4 (vaccination), showed tolerance vaccine vaccination nonvaccination. Thus, bias toward (not vaccinating) is present, outcomes expected.