> I think psisci is trying to get you to consider how he and other professionals might make decisions in this context.

ah. well i guess i'm finding him far from transparent.

the topic of the thread is whether SSRI's are more effective than active placebo, however.

> Btw the reason I mentioned supermarket shopping is that sure placement is important but so are packaging incl colour, size, logo, imagery, font ... need I go on? There are many factors that interplay (albeit more subconsciously) when you're making decisions in the supermarket. I don't know if I think the analogy is that great really.

the analogy wasn't supposed to support the notion that decisions are made on the basis of one feature. the analogy was supposed to support the notion that the features that in fact determine our decisions are often not features that we are aware of determining our decisions. this is just to say that how people SAY they make their decisions is one thing whereas how IN FACT they make their decisions can be quite another.

i never said (or meant to say) that doctors make their medication decisions solely on peer reviewed efficacy studies. i'm aware that there are a variety of features that are likely to influence their medication decisions. here are a few:

- advertising
- the 'jazzed up' advertising reported in grand rounds talks and at conference luncheons and the like
- their past experiences of treating clients with the medication
- their supervisors preferences
- their colleagues preferences
and so on and so forth.

i did make the claim, however, that they *should* (where the *should* is PRESCRIPTIVE rather than DESCRIPTIVE) make their decisions on the basis of the peer reviewed literature for the reason that the peer reviewed literature is more likely to be generalisable than these other sources of information.

then my beef... is with the scientific researchers. my problem isn't that people choose to go work with the drug companies. my problem is that people work with universities and convey scientific neutrality while having their eye on current or potential sources of funding... i'm saying that the science has been comprimised. i'm saying that doctors are thereby in an unfortunate position.