Identity & Decision Making Research

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Principal Investigator: Seth T. Pardo, M.A.

Executive Summary:
A review of the psychological and applied economic literature suggests that there exists a correlation between risk perception and behavioral decision making (Payne, Bettman, & Johnson, 1992). The data, however, are inconsistent; there is empirical support for both positive and negative correlations (Brewer, Weinstein, Cuite, & Herrington, 2004) that are equally recognized as intuitively plausible (Kotchick, Shaffer, Forehand, & Miller, 2001). For example, adolescents are likely to start smoking despite knowing it increases health risks (positive correlation; Halpern-Felsher, Biehl, Kropp, & Rubinstein, 2004). Conversely, learning that a flu shot decreases your risk of contracting flu during flu season motivates a person to get inoculated (negative correlation; Brewer & Hallman, 2006).

Brewer and colleagues (2004) demonstrated that these inconsistencies are in part due to inappropriate modeling, mismeasurement, and incorrect data interpretation. In brief, Brewer and colleagues suggest that a person's current risk perception is moderated by past experience. Looking forward, risk perception is not linear (i.e., perceived risk does not directly influence behavior), but instead is a mediated circular model whereby perceived risk at time 1 influences behavior time 1, which then influences perceived risk at time 2, which then influences behavior at time 2, and on.

Fuzzy-trace theory is a dual-process model of memory and reasoning whereby people form gist and verbatim mental representations (Reyna, 2004; Reyna & Brainerd, 1995). Gist representations are categorical and are more qualitative in nature (e.g., this test was very hard); verbatim representations are more specific or quantitative in nature (e.g., I could only answer 50% of the exam questions). Applications of fuzzy-trace theory demonstrate that people rely more on gist information rather than verbatim information to make decisions (Reyna, Lloyd, & Brainerd, 2003). Moreover, children and adolescents are more likely to use verbatim representations for decision making than adults, who typically make decisions using gist representations (Reyna & Adam, 2003; Reyna & Ellis, 1994; Reyna et al., 2003).

In this study, I briefly review the cognitive and affective factors that shape risk perception in risky medical decision making, and using fuzzy-trace theory as a theoretical platform. I then present an empirical test exploring how risk perception is processed in a sample of transgender people deciding whether to pursue gender reassignment. This study uses fuzzy-trace theory (FTT), which is an established theory of memory, judgment and decision making (Reyna & Brainerd, 1995).
If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact the principal investigator.

Pardo, S. T. & Reyna, V. F. (February, 2009). Risky Decision Making and Risk Perception in Gender and Sexual Minority Populations. Poster at the HEAA Graduate Research Symposium, February 11, 2009, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

Principal Investigator: Seth T. Pardo, M.A.

Executive Summary:
One area where decision making and risk perception applies in life or death situations is medical decision making. Surgery, as one form of medical treatment, involves considerable risk, and patients often face the decision for surgical treatment by weighing the risks against the probablistic benefits (Lloyd, Hayes, Bell, & Naylor, 2001). However, recent research suggests that people resort to gist representations of risk information to make medical decisions (Reyna & Brainerd, 1995; Reyna, Lloyd, & Brainerd, 2003). In other words, people simplify information as much as possible in order to both understand risk and to make decisions based on the balanced risks and benefits.

The decision to pursue gender reassignment through surgery is life altering and for the most part, permanent. As with any surgical procedure, gender reassignment surgery (GRS) involves great risk and uncertainty. However, some surgeries involve more risk and uncertainty than others. Research regarding GRS is primarily focused on physical outcome (i.e. function and appearance), psychosocial adjustment (e.g., minimizing body dysphoria and gender dissonance related depression), and personal satisfaction with the surgical results (Barraett, 1998; Mate-Kole, Freschi, & Robin, 1990). In light of such limited information, the gap in the empirical literature beg the fundamental question: how are trans people making the decision to transition?

With one exception (Rachlin, 1999), research has paid little attention to the factors that influence surgical decision making in trans populations, and as of this posting, no study has explored how trans people cognitively process the decision to transition. Using fuzzy-trace theory as an operational framework, this study is the first to test how risk perception is processed in a sample of transgender people deciding whether or not to pursue surgical gender reassignment.

If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact the principal investigator.