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Abstract(s)
Atualmente, através das plataformas online dos hospitais é-nos possível escolher o médico que pretendemos que nos atenda numa consulta, e que seja potencialmente, quem nos acompanhe em determinada situação médica. Estas plataformas não nos fornecem apenas o nome e o currículo de determinado médico. Na sua larga maioria, apresentam-nos também a fotografia do mesmo. Tal facto, permite-nos formar uma impressão do médico não fazendo uso apenas das suas competências profissionais demonstradas no currículo como também fazendo uso da nossa capacidade de julgar a personalidade do outro quando somos somente expostos a caras desconhecidas (Willis & Todorov, 2006). Os fenómenos do impacto da aparência facial têm sido extensivamente observados no campo da política, onde se verifica que o voto do eleitor é influenciado pelos julgamentos de personalidade que este realiza a partir da aparência facial dos candidatos (e.g., Sussman et al., 2013). O presente estudo aborda a mesma hipótese, mas no campo da medicina, averiguando a complexidade do processo de decisão na seleção de um médico através de plataformas online, isto é, se baseamos a nossa decisão na positividade das características de personalidade que são inferidas através das fotografias das caras dos médicos ou se nos envolvemos em processos mais deliberados de escolha (análise dos currículos). Como esperado, encontrámos evidência de que os participantes selecionaram o médico, utilizando a aparência facial dos médicos como heurísticas para a tomada de decisão, priorizando as características da confiabilidade e competência, inferidas a partir das caras dos médicos.
Currently, through the online platforms of medical institutions, it is possible for us to choose the doctor that we intend to assist us in a consultation, and who is potentially, the one that accompanies us in a particular medical situation. These platforms do not just provide us with the name and curriculum of a particular doctor. Most of them also present their photograph. This fact allows us to form an impression of the doctor not only using his professional skills demonstrated in the curriculum, but also using our ability to judge the personality of the other when we are exposed to unknown faces (Willis & Todorov, 2006). The phenomena of the impact of facial appearance have been extensively observed in the field of politics, where the voter's vote appears to be greatly influenced by personality judgments, inferred through the candidates' facial appearance (e.g., Sussman et al., 2013). The present study addresses the same hypothesis, but in the field of medicine, ascertaining the complexity of the decision-making process, that is, if we base our decision on the positivity of personality characteristics that are inferred through the photographs of doctors' faces or if we get involved in more deliberate choice processes (curriculum analysis). As expected, we found evidence that the participants selected the doctor, using the doctors' facial appearance as heuristics for decision making, prioritizing the characteristics of trustworthiness and competence, inferred from the faces of the doctors.
Currently, through the online platforms of medical institutions, it is possible for us to choose the doctor that we intend to assist us in a consultation, and who is potentially, the one that accompanies us in a particular medical situation. These platforms do not just provide us with the name and curriculum of a particular doctor. Most of them also present their photograph. This fact allows us to form an impression of the doctor not only using his professional skills demonstrated in the curriculum, but also using our ability to judge the personality of the other when we are exposed to unknown faces (Willis & Todorov, 2006). The phenomena of the impact of facial appearance have been extensively observed in the field of politics, where the voter's vote appears to be greatly influenced by personality judgments, inferred through the candidates' facial appearance (e.g., Sussman et al., 2013). The present study addresses the same hypothesis, but in the field of medicine, ascertaining the complexity of the decision-making process, that is, if we base our decision on the positivity of personality characteristics that are inferred through the photographs of doctors' faces or if we get involved in more deliberate choice processes (curriculum analysis). As expected, we found evidence that the participants selected the doctor, using the doctors' facial appearance as heuristics for decision making, prioritizing the characteristics of trustworthiness and competence, inferred from the faces of the doctors.
Description
Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Social e das Organizações.
Keywords
Formação de impressões de personalidade Caras Médicos Heurísticas Formation of personality impressions Faces Doctor Heuristics