Testing the decoy effect to increase interest in colorectal cancer screening

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 26;14(3):e0213668. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213668. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Literature on consumer choice has demonstrated that the inclusion of an inferior alternative choice (decoy) can increase interest in a target product or action. In two online studies, we tested the impact of decoys on the probability of previous non-intenders to have a screening test which could significantly lower their chances of dying of colorectal cancer. We find that the presence of a decoy increased the probability to choose screening at the target hospital (over no screening) from 39% to 54% and 37% to 59% depending on how many hospital attributes were communicated and how strongly the decoy was dominated by the target. We also show that the presence of the decoy was associated with lower levels of reported decisional complexity while not undermining information seeking and knowledge acquisition. These findings offer a 'proof of principle' that decoys have the potential to increase screening uptake without negatively influencing informed choice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Choice Behavior*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Decision Making*
  • Early Detection of Cancer / methods*
  • Female
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Odds Ratio
  • Patient Participation
  • Probability
  • Regression Analysis
  • Risk