Previously, scientists have created mathematical models to predict people’s behavior with certain numbers – for example, when choosing between guaranteed amount of money and the chance of earning more. Such models help to understand how the brain decides and what affects our choice in finance or medicine.
However, in real life, many decisions are not based on exact numbers. In a new study published in Plos Computation Biology, scientists presented the participants a hypothetical situation. People have chosen different treatment methods, each of which is defined by words, not by numbers. For example, an option proposed a “moderate development ve after an injury, the other – with the possibility of full healing, but with the possibility of an unknown success.
Based on these data, researchers built a model that can evaluate how a person perceives proposed options as subjectively. It turned out that the new model successfully cope with such high -quality solutions, but also exceeded traditional models based on numerical data.
The model allows you to understand how people evaluate the risk, uncertainty and potential consequences of people in cases where everything cannot be fully measured. In addition, emotions – for example fear – affect our choice.
Source: Ferra
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