Social Pressure on Patient Decision Making through Shifting Mental Models: Presenting Evidence to Patients

Abstract

In humans, the processes of thinking or making decisions are usually based on mental models. Some of these mental models are designed to represent how humans think and decide, while others aim to improve their thinking and decision making. In decision making related to a patient's health and medical care, high courts aim to protect the patient's right to be involved in this process, while societal forces attempt to control costs associated with health and medical decision making. This paper examines legal, decision making, and social theories regarding the societal forces that attempt to influence the grounds upon which a patient thinks and decides about his or her health and medical care.