Decision research strategies.

Cancer poses many, often difficult choices. Studying these choices poses several strategic decisions for researchers, including (a) whether to conduct formal analyses of the choices being studied, (b) whether to adopt a persuasive stance (or only facilitate independent decision making), (c) whether to focus on optimizing specific choices or securing broader mastery, and (d) which individual differences to address. Behavioral decision research's strategic approach is demonstrated in 4 contexts relevant to cancer-related decisions: (a) informed consent, (b) prevention, (c) infectious disease, and (d) medical emergencies. Each example contains interacting elements of normative analysis, identifying optimal choices; descriptive research, characterizing actual behavior; and prescriptive interventions, seeking to bridge the gap between the normative ideal and the descriptive reality.