MCAT® ExamCritical Analysis and Reasoning SkillsHard
A patient with a chronic illness is presented with two treatment options. The first option is a standard, well-established therapy with a 70% success rate. The second option is an experimental therapy with a 30% failure rate. Although the success rates are mathematically identical, the patient opts for the first treatment, stating they prefer to focus on the 'success' rather than 'failure'. This decision-making pattern illustrates which cognitive bias?
- AAnchoring Bias
- BAvailability Heuristic
- CFraming Effect
- DLoss Aversion
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Framing Effect
The framing effect is a cognitive bias where people decide on options based on whether the options are presented with positive or negative connotations (i.e., as a loss or as a gain). Despite the objectively identical outcomes (70% success = 30% failure), the patient's preference for the 'success rate' presentation demonstrates the framing effect.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Anchoring bias involves relying too heavily on an initial piece of information. (Incorrect)
- B. The availability heuristic involves judging frequency based on ease of recall. (Incorrect)
- D. Loss aversion is the tendency to prefer avoiding losses over acquiring equivalent gains. While related, the scenario specifically highlights how the wording of 'success' vs 'failure' influences choice, which is core to framing. (Incorrect)
Framing Effect
A cognitive bias where people react to a particular choice in different ways depending on how it is presented, e.g., as a loss or as a gain.
- Influences decision-making even when objective information is the same.
- Can be positive framing (gain) or negative framing (loss).
- Common in marketing, politics, and medical communication.
Memory trick: How a choice is 'framed' changes the picture.