The role of unrealistic absolute optimism in willingness to be treated and pay for medical services.

Abstract

A large body of literature has shown that unrealistic absolute optimism plays an important role in the medical decisions. Yet, previous studies have largely overlooked how it might impact peoples’ willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to treat themselves and, importantly, for their child. In this online study with N = 355 participants were asked to rate how likely that both they and their child will experience the risks associated with several different medical procedures and, thereafter, their WTP and willingness to treat both themselves and their child. Participants generally exhibited unrealistic absolute pessimism, rating the likelihood of getting the side effect for themselves and for their child higher than the midpoint of the range of probabilities provided. Furthermore, participants who exhibited unrealistic absolute pessimism were more likely to agree to treatment, whereas those who showed unrealistic absolute optimism were less likely to agree to treatment and had a lower WTP for treatment. Our data reveal that unrealistic absolute pessimism, rather than unrealistic absolute optimism, might be associated with greater intention to undergo treatment and WTP for medical treatments.