Theories of clinical judgment and decision-making: A review of the theoretical literature

Abstract

This paper provides a survey of the terrain of theories of human judgment and decision-making (JDM). It provides an introduction, overview, and some insight into the understanding of some conceptual theories, frameworks, and the literature of JDM. This paper is in no way an exhaustive meta-analysis of the literature on JDM, nor is it intended to be. It does not seek to categorise and compare existing theories of judgment and decision-making or critically evaluate each in terms of others, nor does it seek to reclassify existing categories. Indeed much of the debate in the literature is about that very issue-how researchers and theorists view, characterise, categorise and apply existing theory of JDM in existing philosophies, 'schools-of-thought', and professional domains. The problematic, controversial, and, in the view of some researchers, inappropriate attempts to do so are well-documented [1-4]. This paper will provide an overview of the competing accounts that various theories and philosophies place on judgment and decision-making.