University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Br J Psychol. 2012 Feb;103(1):83-97. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.2011.02047.x. Epub 2011 Jun 15.
Prospect theory suggests that people are risk-averse when facing gains, but risk-prone when facing losses, a pattern known as the framing effect. Although framing effects have been widely demonstrated, few studies have investigated framing effects under conditions of need. Risk-sensitivity theory predicts that decision makers should prefer high-risk options in situations of high need, when lower risk options are unlikely to meet those needs. In two experiments, we examined (1) whether framing effects occurred in behavioural tasks involving risky decision making from description and decision making from experience, (2) whether participants' risky decision making conformed to the predictions of risk-sensitivity theory, and (3) whether decision framing interacted with conditions of need to influence decision making under risk. The results suggest that under all circumstances, risky decision making conformed to the predictions of risk-sensitivity theory. Framing effects were at least partially demonstrable under all experimental conditions. Finally, negative frames interacted with situations of high need to produce particularly elevated levels of risky choice. Together, the results suggest that risk-sensitivity theory can augment prospect theory to explain choice under conditions of need.
前景理论表明，人们在面对收益时是规避风险的，但在面对损失时则是冒险的，这种模式被称为框架效应。尽管框架效应已经得到了广泛的证明，但很少有研究在需要的条件下研究框架效应。风险敏感性理论预测，在高需求的情况下，决策者应该更喜欢高风险的选择，而低风险的选择不太可能满足这些需求。在两项实验中，我们研究了（1）在涉及风险决策的行为任务中，描述和经验决策是否会产生框架效应，（2）参与者的风险决策是否符合风险敏感性理论的预测，以及（3）决策框架是否与需求条件相互作用，从而影响风险下的决策。结果表明，在所有情况下，风险决策都符合风险敏感性理论的预测。在所有实验条件下，都至少部分地证明了框架效应的存在。最后，负面框架与高需求的情况相互作用，导致风险选择水平特别高。总之，结果表明，风险敏感性理论可以补充前景理论，以解释需要条件下的选择。
