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Tragic Choices: Autonomy and Emotional Responses to Medical Decisions

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  • Simona Botti
  • Kristina Orfali
  • Sheena S. Iyengar

Abstract

We investigate how making highly consequential, highly undesirable decisions affects emotions and preference for autonomy. We examine individuals facing real or hypothetical decisions to discontinue their infants' life support who either choose personally or have physicians choose for them. Findings from a multidisciplinary approach consisting of a qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews and three laboratory studies reveal that perceived personal causality for making tragic decisions generates more negative feelings than having the same choices externally made. Tragic decisions also undermine coping abilities, weakening the desire for autonomy. Consequently, participants disliked making decisions but also resented relinquishing their option to choose.

Suggested Citation

  • Simona Botti & Kristina Orfali & Sheena S. Iyengar, 2009. "Tragic Choices: Autonomy and Emotional Responses to Medical Decisions," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 36(3), pages 337-352.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jconrs:doi:10.1086/598969
    DOI: 10.1086/598969
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    Cited by:

    1. Gary D. Sherman & Beth Vallen & Stacey R. Finkelstein & Paul M. Connell & Wendy Attaya Boland & Kristen Feemster, 2021. "When taking action means accepting responsibility: Omission bias predicts parents' reluctance to vaccinate due to greater anticipated culpability for negative side effects," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 1660-1681, December.
    2. Amos Schurr & Yaakov Kareev & Judith Avrahami & Ilana Ritov, 2012. "Taking the Broad Perspective: Risky Choices in Repeated Proficiency Tasks," Discussion Paper Series dp621, The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
    3. Prigge, Jana-Kristin & Dietz, Beatrix & Homburg, Christian & Hoyer, Wayne D. & Burton, Jennifer L., 2015. "Patient empowerment: A cross-disease exploration of antecedents and consequences," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 375-386.
    4. Hanna van Loo, 2010. "More freedom of choice but less preference satisfaction in parametric situations," Rationality and Society, , vol. 22(2), pages 237-252, May.
    5. repec:oup:jconrs:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:926-939. is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Leff Bonney & Christopher R. Plouffe & Michael Brady, 2016. "Investigations of sales representatives’ valuation of options," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 135-150, March.
    7. Mary Steffel & Elanor F Williams & Vicki MorwitzEditor & Andrea MoralesAssociate Editor, 2018. "Delegating Decisions: Recruiting Others to Make Choices We Might Regret," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(5), pages 1015-1032.
    8. Aimee Dinnin Huff & June Cotte, 2013. "Complexities of Consumption: The Case of Childcare," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 72-97, April.
    9. Chiara Longoni & Andrea Bonezzi & Carey K Morewedge, 2019. "Resistance to Medical Artificial Intelligence," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 46(4), pages 629-650.
    10. Lez Trujillo Torres & Benét DeBerry-Spence, 2019. "Consumer valorization strategies in traumatic extraordinary experiences," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 516-531, May.
    11. Lee, Li Way, 2011. "Behavioral bioethics: Notes of a behavioral economist," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 368-372, August.
    12. Krot Katarzyna & Sousa João Pedro, 2017. "Factors Impacting On Patient Compliance with Medical Advice: Empirical Study," Engineering Management in Production and Services, Sciendo, vol. 9(2), pages 73-81, June.
    13. Quentin André & Ziv Carmon & Klaus Wertenbroch & Alia Crum & Douglas Frank & William Goldstein & Joel Huber & Leaf Boven & Bernd Weber & Haiyang Yang, 2018. "Consumer Choice and Autonomy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data," Customer Needs and Solutions, Springer;Institute for Sustainable Innovation and Growth (iSIG), vol. 5(1), pages 28-37, March.
    14. Camacho, N.M.A. & de Jong, M.G. & Stremersch, S., 2014. "The Effect of Customer Empowerment on Adherence to Expert Advice," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2014-005-MKT, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    15. Alexander P. Henkel & Johannes Boegershausen & Robert Ciuchita & Gaby Odekerken-Schröder, 2017. "Storm after the Quiet: How Marketplace Interactions Shape Consumer Resources in Collective Goal Pursuits," Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, University of Chicago Press, vol. 2(1), pages 26-47.
    16. Wang, Ziwei & Wei, Xia & Tang, Xiaomeng, 2024. "The effects of QR-pay scanning modes on consumer product evaluations," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    17. repec:cup:judgdm:v:15:y:2020:i:4:p:517-533 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Huang, Xiaozhi & Wu, Xitong & Cao, Xin & Wu, Jifei, 2023. "The effect of medical artificial intelligence innovation locus on consumer adoption of new products," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    19. Zeynep Arsel & Darren DahlEditor & Eileen FischerEditor & Gita JoharEditor & Vicki MorwitzEditor, 2017. "Asking Questions with Reflexive Focus: A Tutorial on Designing and Conducting Interviews," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(4), pages 939-948.
    20. Camacho, Nuno & De Jong, Martijn & Stremersch, Stefan, 2014. "The effect of customer empowerment on adherence to expert advice," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 293-308.
    21. Daniel A. DeCaro & Marci S. DeCaro & Jared M. Hotaling & Joseph G. Johnson, 2020. "Procedural and economic utilities in consequentialist choice: Trading freedom of choice to minimize financial losses," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 15(4), pages 517-533, July.

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