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Reaping the Benefits and Avoiding the Risks: Unrealistic Optimism in the Health Domain

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  • Yaniv Hanoch
  • Jonathan Rolison
  • Alexandra M. Freund

Abstract

People's perceptions of benefits and risks play a key role in their acceptance or rejection of medical interventions, yet these perceptions may be poorly calibrated. This online study with N = 373 adults aged 19–76 years focused on unrealistic optimism in the health domain. Participants indicated how likely they were to experience benefits and risks associated with medical conditions and completed objective and subjective numeracy scales. Participants exhibited optimistic views about the likelihood of experiencing the benefits and the side effects of treatment options described in the scenarios. Objective and subjective numeracy were not associated with more accurate ratings. Moreover, participants’ underestimation of the risks was significantly greater than their overestimation of the benefits. From an applied perspective, these results suggest that clinicians may need to ensure that patients do not underestimate risks of medical interventions, and that they convey realistic expectations about the benefits that can be obtained with certain procedures.

Suggested Citation

  • Yaniv Hanoch & Jonathan Rolison & Alexandra M. Freund, 2019. "Reaping the Benefits and Avoiding the Risks: Unrealistic Optimism in the Health Domain," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(4), pages 792-804, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:riskan:v:39:y:2019:i:4:p:792-804
    DOI: 10.1111/risa.13204
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    Cited by:

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    2. Prati, Alberto & Saucet, Charlotte, 2024. "The causal effect of a health treatment on beliefs, stated preferences and memories," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122150, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Dariusz Dolinski & Wojciech Kulesza & Paweł Muniak & Barbara Dolinska & Ali Derakhshan & Tomasz Grzyb, 2021. "Research on Unrealistic Optimism among HoReCa Workers as a Possible Future Hotspot of Infections," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Kailin Cheng & Jiangqun Liao, 2023. "Coping with Coronavirus Pandemic: Risk Perception Predicts Life Optimism," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 351-371, January.
    5. Choi, Shinae L. & Lee, Yoon G., 2023. "Financial hardship and change in emotional well-being before to during COVID-19 pandemic among middle-aged and older Americans: Moderating effects of internal coping resources," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    6. Michael Siegrist & Joseph Árvai, 2020. "Risk Perception: Reflections on 40 Years of Research," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(S1), pages 2191-2206, November.

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