Cognitive Bias Case Scenarios Test

Cognitive Bias Case Scenarios Test

User: xxx
Course: Scholarly Skills Community
Test: Assessment | Cognitive Bias Case Scenarios
Started: 10/14/22 2:26 PM
Submitted: 10/14/22 2:41 PM
Status: Completed
Attempt Score: 20 out of 20 points
Time Elapsed: 15 minutes
Results Displayed: Submitted Answers, Feedback, Incorrectly Answered Questions

Question 1

2 out of 2 points

Correct

Kris, a student who has recently started their academic program, is returning to graduate school after more than 10 years. While they have some experience with using library databases from their undergraduate studies, they are not very familiar or comfortable with using the databases and other evidence-based tools available through the Library. To accomplish any assignments requiring a search through the literature, they have been using Google Scholar as it seems more intuitive and convenient. They have expressed some frustration with the search engine as it does not have robust filters to help sort through the thousands of results. They also have a hard time trying to access the full text when using Google Scholar. Which of the following cognitive biases is represented in this scenario? Cognitive Bias Case Scenarios Test
Selected Answer:

Automation bias
Response Feedback:

You are correct! Kris had been over-relying on an internet search engine, Google Scholar, in this case. While Google Scholar can be very useful for finding full-text articles available on the open web, this search engine does not nearly the same robust search features of a research database or the Library’s Search USA engine that are specifically designed to assist researchers and practitioners to find and access scholarly articles. By depending too much on Google Scholar and other internet search engines, they may not be taking advantage of the Library’s comprehensive subscriptions to scholarly literature otherwise unavailable on the internet.

Unit 3: Cardiovascular/Hematologic Pharmacology

Question 2

2 out of 2 points

Correct

Uchenna, a health practitioner, is treating an Asian American patient for seizures. After looking at the available evidence, he prescribes the patient with a seizure medication shown to be a commonly used and effective therapy. Later on, the patient is admitted to the hospital with a nearly fatal skin reaction. While the patient is recovering from the sudden reaction, Uchenna investigates the evidence and realizes that exposure to the medication can lead to severe skin damage for many Asians and Asian Americans. The evidence that he initially looked at had focused primarily on homogenous population samples, namely white male patients. Which of the following cognitive biases manifested in Uchenna’s initial literature search?
Selected Answer:

Attribute substitution

Response Feedback:

You are correct! Uchenna may have oversimplified the search without considering the patient’s ethnic and racial background, and instead sought out evidence based on largely homogenous samples for treatment options. There is a real seizure medication known as Carbamazepine that has been shown to cause higher risk for skin damage and even internal organ failure for some Asian populations due to a genetic marker.

Reference: Ferrell, P. B., & McLeod, H. L. (2008). Carbamazepine, HLA-B*1502 and risk of Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: US FDA recommendations. Pharmacogenomics, 9(10), 1543-1546. [Access full text through ProQuest]

Question 3

2 out of 2 points

Correct

Ali, a gerontology specialist in California, is an avid proponent of evidence-based practice. She makes it an essential part of her practice to look through the current literature to help inform her approach and skills with patients. While she notices a great deal of literature that appears relevant to her clinical work, she specifically seeks out research conducted and published in the United States, which Ali believes is a good indication of the evidence’s quality and reliability. Which of the following cognitive biases is reflected in this scenario?
Selected Answer:

“Not invented here” bias
Response Feedback:

You are correct! While focusing on research published in one’s home country can be appropriate in certain contexts, it can also lead to evaluating the quality of search results based on place of publication. It can bias the search under the assumption that countries like the United States are somehow are more advanced in the movement of evidence-based medicine and practice when that is not necessarily the case. Also, it is important to consider evidence in countries where there is a better scholarly understanding regarding a specific health condition or therapeutic intervention.

Question 4

2 out of 2 points

Correct

Your colleague comes to you with a problem at the cafeteria. He is conducting research on the prevention of medical errors. Yet his searches through the medical and health sciences literature, using PubMed, do not retrieve any relevant results. Your colleague is surprised to see this scarcity of information on the topic. He is desperate for a solution. What would be the best recommendation to resolve this issue to reduce the manifestation of cognitive bias?
Selected Answer:

Explore literature in other disciplines or fields.
Response Feedback:

You are correct! While the other techniques can be useful, their value in this scenario may not be as applicable. The most effective technique in this context would be to explore the literature beyond what is indexed in PubMed. In fact, this scenario is inspired by a real-life case when physician, Dr. Lucian Leape, was researching the prevention of medical errors, but found very little scholarly literature on the topic. It was only until a consultation with a librarian pointed him toward the psychological and social sciences databases, leading to an abundance of literature. This example would ultimately help lead to the patient safety movement.

Reference: Watchter, R. (2006, August 1). In conversation with…Lucian Leape, MD. AHRQ Patient Safety Network. https://psnet.ahrq.gov/index.php/perspective/conversation-withlucian-leape-md

Question 5

2 out of 2 points

Correct

Camila is a speech language pathologist with a new patient. The patient is a trans woman seeking voice and communication services to enrich her ability to live a healthy, satisfying life. Despite having years of professional experience, Camila has rarely worked with transgender patients. Camila admits to having little familiarity or knowledge on current evidence-based approaches to providing quality transgender care. Nonetheless, Camila looks forward to updating her practice with the latest evidence, but she is unsure how or where to start. What would you recommend to Camila?
Selected Answer:

Involve the patient in the literature search, consulting them for insight and feedback.
Response Feedback:

You are correct! Camila’s enthusiasm to learn about transgender care to improve her practice and the patient’s outcomes will lend well to mitigating the appearance of cognitive bias. By involving the patient in the search, Camila can benefit from the patient’s insight into transgender community and appropriate terminology to develop effective search strategies. Mental simulation can also bolster Camila’s critical thinking skills as she navigates health research in which transgender participation and perspectives remain underrepresented.

Question 6

2 out of 2 points

Correct

You are a physical therapist treating a high school student. The student plays baseball at school, and recently suffered an injury to their knee. While treating the knee injury, the student asks your opinion about ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction. The student explains that their coach had mention that surgery of the UCL could improve the pitching performance for players without an elbow injury. The student even conducted a search on the internet for information to support this perspective.

Knowledgeable about

cognitive bias and the lack of critical appraisal or regulation in internet information, how would you help this student in debiasing their search for information about UCL reconstruction?
Selected Answer:

All of the others
Response Feedback:

You are correct! All three strategies would be beneficial to the high school student as they search for information. Online health information is particularly difficult to navigate in terms of sorting through legitimate evidence and identifying potentially misleading, false, and/or dangerous information. Information about UCL reconstruction available on the internet is apt in reflecting this issue regarding the wealth of online information combined with its lack of critical appraisal. The student would do well to consider alternative search keywords, evaluating the websites’ legitimacy more closely, and consulting experts for advice.

Reference: Johnson, C. C., Garcia, G. H., Liu, J. N., Stepan, J. G., Patel, R. M., & Dines, J. S. (2016). Internet resources for Tommy John injuries: What are patients reading? Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 25(12), e386-e393. [Access full text through the Library]

Question 7

4 out of 4 points

Correct

Victoria, an allied health sciences student, is working on a course assignment that requires a miniaturized literature review. For their literature review, she is tasked with finding a minimum of 10 peer-reviewed research articles. While performing an initial search through PubMed, she finds an article that is very relevant to her topic. Based on her previous experience with using PubMed, Victoria knows that the database has a “Similar Articles” search, which allows the user to find articles that the database identifies as similar to the initial article. Victoria has come to often rely on this search feature, using it find the next nine articles to meet the minimum criteria of the assignment. She sees that there are several articles of relevance to her topic, but she believes that the articles she had found will be adequate. Which of the following cognitive bias(es) are reflected in this scenario. Select all that apply.
Selected Answers:

Automation bias
Overconfidence
Premature closure
Search satisficing
Response Feedback:

You are correct! While PubMed’s Similar Articles feature is certainly very useful in identifying potentially relevant evidence, Victoria should not rely solely on the results retrieved from it. Victoria is not considering alternative databases, search strategies, or other resources relevant to her topic. Instead, she ended the search as soon as the assignment’s minimum criteria were met, interpreting it as a maximum. This cognitive error does not consider the various other sources of information available, which may have been of a higher level of evidence, or otherwise contradicted the information she had found or revealed gaps in the extant literature.

Question 8

4 out of 4 points

Correct

Kendra, a nurse practitioner, receives a patient presenting with hemiparesis. Kendra, based on a previous experience earlier in the day working with a patient recovering from a stroke, believes the current patient’s diagnosis is acute ischemic stroke. A brief search through the evidence and guidelines regarding stroke informs Kendra to develop a treatment plan within minutes. The evidence also suggested a course of thrombolytic therapy. The treatment results in bleeding. While treating the bleeding, Kendra continues to investigate additional treatment options for the stroke. At which point, while taking the patient’s history, Kendra discovers that the patient has a history of epilepsy, which would explain the hemiparesis and that it does not require treatment. In this scenario, Kendra exhibited which of the following bias(es)? Select all that apply.
Selected Answers:

Attribute substitution
Availability bias
Overconfidence
Premature closure
Response Feedback:

You are correct! Kendra exhibited several cognitive errors in this scenario. Rather than addressing the patient with an open-minded approach, Kendra instead drew on an unrelated experience from earlier that day to inform her search through the evidence. Even after the bleeding effect from the thrombolytic therapy, Kendra continued to proceed in her literature search without adapting to the new development. She had closed any alternative diagnosis or treatment modalities that would have been more appropriate to the patient’s condition.