Research on why patients sometimes choose non-proven therapies (NPT) instead of conventional treatments is limited. We investigated how physician likeability influences the choice of NPT instead of conventional treatment. In an experiment with three medical scenarios, participants (N = 384) consulted two physicians who gave conflicting recommendations: The first physician recommended a conventional treatment and the second one recommended a NPT. We manipulated the likeability of the first physician, who was either likeable or unlikeable. Using mediation analyses, we explored how the effect of likeability was channelled and whether time pressure influenced treatment choice. Participants chose the NPT more often (OR = 1.43, 95% CI [1.03–2.00]), had more positive affective responses, and perceived more benefit from NPT when the conventional treatment was recommended by an unlikeable (vs. likeable) physician. Time pressure had no effect on treatment choice. Physicians’ likeability might play an important role in treatment choice in the presence of conflicting information. Providers should be cognizant that poor communication might push patients to prefer the advice of more likeable physicians, even when they prescribe NPT instead of conventional treatment.

中文翻译：

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存在相互矛盾的信息时的治疗选择：医生喜好在选择未经证实的治疗与传统治疗时的作用

关于为什么患者有时会选择未经证实的疗法（NPT）而不是常规疗法的研究是有限的。我们调查了医生的受欢迎程度如何影响 NPT 而不是常规治疗的选择。在一个包含三种医疗场景的实验中，参与者（N = 384) 咨询了两位医生，他们给出了相互矛盾的建议：第一位医生推荐了常规治疗，第二位医生推荐了 NPT。我们操纵了第一位医生的受欢迎程度，他要么讨人喜欢，要么不讨人喜欢。使用中介分析，我们探讨了喜爱度的影响是如何被引导的，以及时间压力是否会影响治疗选择。参与者更频繁地选择 NPT（OR = 1.43, 95% CI [1.03–2.00]），具有更积极的情感反应，并且当不受欢迎（与可爱）医生推荐常规治疗时，他们认为 NPT 的益处更多。时间压力对治疗选择没有影响。在存在相互矛盾的信息的情况下，医生的受欢迎程度可能在治疗选择中发挥重要作用。