Differences in Simulated Doctor and Patient Medical Decision Making: A Construal Level Perspective

BACKGROUND: Patients are often confronted with diverse medical decisions. Often lacking relevant medical knowledge, patients fail to independently make medical decisions and instead generally rely on the advice of doctors. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the characteristics of and differences in doctor–patient medical decision making on the basis of construal level theory. METHODS: A total of 420 undergraduates majoring in clinical medicine were randomly assigned to six groups. Their decisions to opt for radiotherapy and surgery were investigated, with the choices described in a positive/neutral/negative frame × decision making for self/others. RESULTS: Compared with participants giving medical advice to patients, participants deciding for themselves were more likely to select radiotherapy (F(1, 404) = 13.92, p = 011). Participants from positive or neutral frames exhibited a higher tendency to choose surgery than did those from negative frames (F(2, 404) = 22.53, p<.001). The effect of framing on independent decision making was nonsignificant (F(2, 404) = 1.07, p = 35); however the effect of framing on the provision of advice to patients was significant (F(2, 404) = 12.95, p<.001). The effect of construal level was significant in the positive frame (F(1, 404) = 8.06, p = 005) and marginally significant in the neutral frame (F(2, 404) = 3.31, p = 07) but nonsignificant in the negative frame (F(2, 404) = .29, p = 59). CONCLUSION: Both social distance and framing depiction significantly affected medical decision making and exhibited a significant interaction. Differences in medical decision making between doctors and patients need further investigation.