Using Means Objectives to Present Risk Information

What is it about?

Fundamental objectives are issues of direct concern, whereas means objectives are issues we care about only because they're related to fundamental objectives. For example, minimizing blood pressure is a means objective to the fundamental objectives of living a longer and healthier life. Our experiments examine the differences in how people make risky decisions depending on whether they are presented with information about fundamental objectives or means objectives.

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Why is it important?

Our findings help assess how information about risks should be presented to decision makers and to the public. For example, people tend to be more willing to take chances when they receive information about a means objective than information about a fundamental objective.