Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Utility Theory”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

A critique of EPA's index of watershed indicators.

Numerous indices have been developed to assess water quality and the impact of programs to improve quality. The Index of Watershed Indicators (IWI) is one such index created by the US Environmental Protection Agency to assess watershed vulnerability and condition in the United States. The credibility and applicability of subjective indices such as IWI depends upon their ability to withstand tests that challenge their internal consistency and interpretation. This paper critiques IWI on the basis of these tests and other considerations, and suggests that explicitly basing the index on multiattribute utility theory and methods could help resolve many of these difficulties.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2001

Signed Orders, Choice Probabilities, and Linear Polytopes.

Self-reflecting signed orders were proposed as an aid in estimating preference between subsets of items on the basis of limited information. The data of a signed order are preference comparisons that consider the desirability of excluding items from a subset as well as including items in a subset. This paper investigates signed orders within the setting of probabilistic choice and random utility theory. It focuses on linear signed order polytopes and their relationship to binary choice probabilities. The theory applies both to individual choice behavior and to group decision making. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Reduction Invariance and Prelec's Weighting Functions.

Within the framework of separable utility theory, a condition, called reduction invariance, is shown to be equivalent to the 2-parameter family of weighting functions that Prelec (1998) derived from the condition called compound invariance. Reduction invariance, which is a variant on the reduction of compound gambles, is appreciably simpler and more easily testable than compound invariance, and a simpler proof is provided. Both conditions are generalized leading to more general weighting functions that include, as special cases, the families of functions that Prelec called exponential-power and hyperbolic logarithm and that he derived from two other invariance principles. However, of these various families, only Prelec's compound-invariance family includes, as a special case, the power function, which arises from the simplest probabilistic assumption of reduction of compound gambles. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

A Psychometric Analysis of the "Divide and Conquer" Principle in Multicriteria Decision Making.

The principle of "Divide and Conquer" (DAC) suggests that: (1) complex decision problems should be decomposed into smaller, more manageable parts and (2) these smaller parts should be logically aggregated to derive an overall value for each alternative. Typically, decompositional procedures have been compared to holistic evaluations that require decision makers to simultaneously consider all of the relevant attributes in the evaluation of the objects under consideration. These comparisons between decompositional and holistic judgments have primarily used a variant of Multiattribute Utility Theory (MAUT). We presented a general experimental framework that allows for a more extensive assessment of the DAC principle, as well as the effects of decision complexity on both holistic and decompositional procedures. We illustrate this approach with a study that uses the Simple Multiattribute Rating Technique with Swing Weights (SMARTS; Edwards & Barron, 1994) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP; Saaty, 1980). We report data comparing the convergent validity (e.g the agreement between decompositional and holistic strategies) and the temporal stability for decompositional and holistic judgments on a variety of dependent measures. Decision complexity did not significantly affect the correspondence between decompositional and holistic judgments for both SMARTS and AHP judgments. Results from an ordinal measure of temporal stability indicated the DAC principle was violated for the AHP judgments. For a linear measure of temporal stability, trends in the data indicated that the predicted effects of decision complexity on the DAC principle was violated for the SMARTS judgments. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1991

A critical review of macro models for road accidents.

This paper presents a critical review of state-of-the-art macro models for road accidents. Such a review is meant to identify and establish the significance of policy and socioeconomic variables affecting the level of road accidents. The aim is to identify those variables associated with effective policies and interventions to enable decision makers to improve the level of road safety. The variables that appear to affect the number of fatalities or injuries are: vehicle miles travelled (VMT), vehicle population, income (in its various forms), percentage of young drivers, intervention policies such as speed limits, periodic vehicle inspection, and minimum alcohol-drinking age. Viewed critically, the state-of-the-art models being used to explain and predict road accidents are still deficient. One possible approach to correcting this deficiency draws from consumer utility theory, using analytical models built on a newly constructed theoretical framework. Success in estimating such models may improve predictions of road accidents, thus demonstrating the comparative cost effectiveness of alternative intervention policies.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1980

The response of brain to transient elevations in intraventricular pressure.

A mathematical theory has been developed to evaluate the change in size of the cerebral ventricles in response to a square-wave pressure pulse within the ventricles. Specifically, the theory utilizes a lumped compartment viscoelastic spherical shell model of the brain and takes into account available creep compliance data. The pressure change in the cortical subarachnoid space plays a critical role in determining the net displacement of the brain. The rise in cortical subarachnoid pressure is governed by a rate constant gamma which is nearly proportional to the absorption coefficient when absorption is rate-limiting, inversely proportional to the compliance of the spinal subarachnoid space, and also depends upon the resistance to flow through CSF pathways. A rapid rise in pressure within the cortical subarachnoid space results in an inward displacement of the ventricles immediately after the ventricular pressure pulse has ceased. Thereafter, the ventricles return toward their initial size as the pressure in the cortical subarachnoid space decays. A slow rise, on the other hand, favors permanent ventricular enlargement. Decreased absorption of CSF, long duration pulses, and bulk flow of CSF into brain, which are observed in hydrocephalus, all favor the development of ventricular enlargement.

Cerebral Cortex↗
PubMed1991

Descriptors for isomer resolution of (bio-) distribution of chlorinated aromatic compounds.

Both Solubility Parameter (SOLPAR) and Linear Solvation Energy Relationship (LSER) theory utilize molar volume and energies as descriptors for distribution phenomena. They provide powerful methods for the prediction of the GLC retention indices of chlorobenzenes (CBzs) and tetrachlorodibenzo[p]dioxins (TCDDs). Almost complete isomer resolution is obtained with correlation coefficients (r) of greater than or equal to 0.9984 (CBzs) and greater than or equal to 0.9839 (TCDDs). The n-octanol/water partition coefficient (log Kow) of CBzs can be calculated with a standard error of regression of 0.04, which compares favourably with standard deviations of 0.03-0.26 in mean values based on four different experimental methods. The HPLC capacity factor of TCDDs on C18 columns can be predicted by SOLPAR with moderate accuracy (r = 0.9470), allowing for a preliminary calculation of log Kow. A simplified LSER method fails.

Chlorobenzenes↗
PubMed1990

Risk and value analysis of SETI.

This paper attempts to apply a traditional risk and value analysis to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence--SETI. In view of the difficulties of assessing the probability of success, a comparison is made between SETI and a previous search for extraterrestrial life, the biological component of Project Viking. Our application of simple Utility Theory, given some reasonable assumptions, suggests that SETI is at least as worthwhile as the biological experiment on Viking.

Astronomy↗
PubMed1991

Equity considerations in utility-based measures of health outcomes in economic appraisals: an adjustment algorithm.

In this paper we consider whether methods currently used to measure utility of health outcomes are consistent with the equity criteria adopted by researchers. We show that unless the chosen equity criterion is incorporated in the design of the measurement instrument, the derived health state utilities are inconsistent with the equity criterion (except under special circumstances). Adjustment algorithms are derived, based on the axioms of von Neumann-Morgenstern utility theory, which take account of difference equity criteria currently adopted in the literature. The proposed approach is based on simple lottery questions of the type already used widely in empirical studies.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1993

Economics, health and health economics: HYEs (healthy-years equivalent) versus QALYs (quality-adjusted live-year)

This paper responds to Culyer and Wagstaff's (CW) and Buckingham's (B) arguments. We refute their claim about the equivalence of HYEs and QALYs; they fail to distinguish between choice under uncertainty and under certainty. CW assume that all individuals have a specific form of utility function, which yields their conclusion of equivalence. B's arguments confuse the measurement technique and the utility theory from which it stems; his argument about the normative superiority of the QALY construct is inconsistent with economic thinking. The HYE, by being compatible with the principles of economics, is superior to the QALY for economic evaluations of health care interventions.

Canada↗
PubMed2005

Subjective evaluations of alcohol expectancies and their relevance to drinking game involvement in female college students.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test whether subjective evaluations of alcohol expectancies mediate the association between perceived drinking expectancies and participation in drinking games (DGs). Participation in DGs facilitates heavy drinking; therefore, we also examined the association between DG participation and alcohol-related problems. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 187 female athletes from an all-women's college in the Northeastern United States. Respondents completed self-report questionnaires in small groups who reported on their alcohol use, drinking expectancies, and number of DGs played with their teammates during the semester. RESULTS: A mediation effect emerged for subjective evaluation of liquid courage expectancy but not for increased sociability and cognitive/behavioral impairment expectancies. Although perceived expectancies of cognitive/behavioral impairment were associated negatively with DG participation, positive subjective evaluations of this expectancy were related positively with DG participation. Finally, participation in DG was associated positively with alcohol-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings are consistent with notions of social learning and utility theories and sheds light on the link between alcohol expectancies and participation in DGs among female student athletes. Results also highlight the health risks associated with DG involvement. Intervention programs aimed at decreasing the prevalence of DG participation might consider addressing students' perceptions about the desirability of liquid courage expectancies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Biases from omitted risk effects in standard gamble utilities.

Utilities elicited under the "probability equivalence" version of the standard gamble procedure systematically exaggerate the utility increments of expensive health interventions that bring the recipient towards full health. Switching to the alternative "certainty equivalence" version would introduce the reverse bias. The biases arise from anticipated pre- and post-decision risk effects that expected utility theory omits. To include these risk effects, partition the future by changes in knowledge into: (1) pre-choice periods; (2) the pre-outcome future before the chosen act's outcome becomes known; and (3) the more distant post-outcome future, when that outcome will have become known.

Bias↗
PubMed2002

Position of the American Dietetic Association: total diet approach to communicating food and nutrition information.

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that all foods can fit into a healthful eating style. The ADA strives to communicate healthful eating messages to the public that emphasize the total diet, or overall pattern of food eaten, rather than any one food or meal. If consumed in moderation with appropriate portion size and combined with regular physical activity, all foods can fit into a healthful diet. Public policies that support the total diet approach include Reference Dietary Intakes, Food Guide Pyramid, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Nutrition Labeling and Healthy People 2010. The value of a food should be determined within the context of the total diet because classifying foods as "good" or "bad" may foster unhealthy eating behaviors. Eating practices are influenced by taste and food preferences, concerns about nutrition and weight control, physiology, lifestyle, environment, and food product safety. To increase the effectiveness of nutrition education in promoting sensible food choices, dietetics professionals plan communications and educational programs that utilize theories and models related to human behavior. Communication campaigns/programs should implement an active, behaviorally focused approach within the larger context of food choices. Nutrition confusion can be reduced by emphasizing moderation, appropriate portion size, balance and adequacy of the total diet over time, the importance of obtaining nutrients from foods, and physical activity.

Advertising↗
PubMed1998

The prospect of predictive testing for personal risk: attitudes and decision making.

As predictive tests for medical problems such as genetic disorders become more widely available, it becomes increasingly important to understand the processes involved in the decision whether or not to seek testing. This study investigates the decision to pursue the possibility of testing. Individuals (one group who had already contemplated the possibility of predictive testing and one group who had not) were asked to consider predictive testing for several diseases. They rated the likelihood of opting for testing and specified the reasons which they believed had affected their decision. The ratio of the numbers of reasons stated for testing and the numbers of reasons stated against testing was a good predictor of the stated likelihood of testing, particularly when the reasons were weighted by utility (importance). Those who had previously contemplated testing specified more emotional reasons. It is proposed that the decision process is internally logical although it may seem illogical to others due to there being idiosyncratic premises (or reasons) upon which the decision is based. It is concluded that the Utility Theory is a useful basis for describing how people make decisions related to predictive testing; modifications of the theory are proposed.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

How people get into mental health services: stories of choice, coercion and "muddling through" from "first-timers".

Previous work examining how individuals enter mental health treatment comes either from the health services utilization tradition, which implicitly assumes that clients make decisions to seek care, or from the socio-legal perspective, which examines how clients are forced into care. This paper draws from the Network-Episode Model to systematically consider the different social processes through which people come to enter psychiatric treatment by exploring the "stories" told by individuals making their first major contact with the mental health system. We combine the use of qualitative and quantitative methods to examine data from the Indianapolis Network Mental Health Study, a longitudinal study of individuals in treatment at the largest public and voluntary facilities in the city. We analyze detailed self-reports of how they came to use mental health services, classifying these stories as "choice," "coercion," or "muddling through". Using multinomial logit analyses, we examine how factors such as gender, race and diagnosis shape the types of stories that individuals tell. The preliminary results indicate that fewer than half of the stories (45.9%) match the notion of choice underlying the dominant utilization theories. Almost a quarter of respondents (22.9%) report coercion and nearly one-third (31.2%) tell stories that lack a clear agent. Diagnosis and social networks tap differences in how individuals experience entry into care. Individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder or who have larger, closer social networks are more likely to tell stories of coercion. We discuss the theoretical, methodological, and clinical implications of findings drawn from this examination of clients' stories.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Development, test reliability and validation of a classification for revision hip arthroplasty.

The objective of the study was to develop a valid and reliable classification system for failed hip arthroplasties. The study uses research principals derived from multi-attribute utility theory and consensus group techniques. The development of the severity measure was done in two phases. Phase I of the study included: (a) questionnaire development, (b) submission of the questionnaire to the respondents, (c) data synthesis of the responses and item reduction, and (d) classification development and inter-observer reliability testing. Phase II included: (a) resubmission of the instrument to the respondents for suggestions/feedback, (b) instrument revision by the co-investigators based on the respondents' second feedback, and (c) inter-observer reliability testing and intraoperative validity testing of the instrument. The questionnaires sought to capture expert opinion as to what clinical determinants obtained preoperatively (during patient interview, physical exam and review of plain radiographs - AP pelvis and hip lateral) that would in their clinical experience reveal intraoperative severity. There was an 80% (16/20) response rate from the outside experts invited to participate in the study. Based on item reduction and test retest analysis, a five-grade radiographic classification for the acetabulum as well as the femur was developed. This system was then reviewed by 13 of the initial outside experts (16, 80%) who participated in the first round. Inter-rater reliability testing of the final format of the classification revealed a weighted kappa statistic value of 0.88 between the two-blinded raters (inter-rater reliability) and 0.87 between the blinded raters and the reference standard (intraoperative validity). We conclude that the study developed a reliable and valid radiographic classification system for failed hip arthroplasty.

Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip↗
PubMed2000

Individual differences in reasoning: implications for the rationality debate?

Much research in the last two decades has demonstrated that human responses deviate from the performance deemed normative according to various models of decision making and rational judgment (e.g., the basic axioms of utility theory). This gap between the normative and the descriptive can be interpreted as indicating systematic irrationalities in human cognition. However, four alternative interpretations preserve the assumption that human behavior and cognition is largely rational. These posit that the gap is due to (1) performance errors, (2) computational limitations, (3) the wrong norm being applied by the experimenter, and (4) a different construal of the task by the subject. In the debates about the viability of these alternative explanations, attention has been focused too narrowly on the model response. In a series of experiments involving most of the classic tasks in the heuristics and biases literature, we have examined the implications of individual differences in performance for each of the four explanations of the normative/descriptive gap. Performance errors are a minor factor in the gap; computational limitations underlie non-normative responding on several tasks, particularly those that involve some type of cognitive decontextualization. Unexpected patterns of covariance can suggest when the wrong norm is being applied to a task or when an alternative construal of the task should be considered appropriate.

Cognition↗
PubMed2002

Intentional and unintentional nonadherence: a study of decision making.

Nonadherence to medical regimens is a major problem in health care. Distinguishing between intentional nonadherence (missing/altering doses to suit one's needs) and unintentional nonadherence (forgetting to take medication) may help in understanding nonadherence. Participants with respiratory conditions completed an anonymous questionnaire about (i) nonadherence; (ii) reasons for and against taking medications; and (iii) perceived style of the consultation in which their medication was first prescribed, as well as demographic and clinical variables. Consistent with the hypotheses, intentional nonadherence is predicted by the balance of individuals' reasons for and against taking medication as suggested by the Utility Theory, where these reasons include only those which the individual considers relevant and on which he/she focuses. Unintentional nonadherence is less strongly associated with decision balance, and more so with demographics. The research highlights the importance of (a) treating intentional and unintentional nonadherence as separate entities and (b) assessing individuals' idiosyncratic beliefs when considering intentional nonadherence.

Adult↗