Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Ahead of Print
  • Past Issues
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Print Subscriptions
  • About
    • About the Journal
    • About the Academy
    • Editorial Board
  • Feedback
  • Alerts
  • AAPL

User menu

  • Alerts

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
  • AAPL
  • Alerts
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Ahead of Print
  • Past Issues
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Print Subscriptions
  • About
    • About the Journal
    • About the Academy
    • Editorial Board
  • Feedback
  • Alerts
Research ArticleARTICLES

Guide to Identifying and Correcting Decision Making trrors in Practice Mental Disability Practice

Jonathan Rabinowitz
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online December 1994, 22 (4) 561-575;
Jonathan Rabinowitz
DSW
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Presented is a practical and theoretical guide to help practitioners identify and alleviate decision making errors. Common decision making and judgment errors are inventoried and presented as deviations from the scientific method. Also presented is evidence of judgmental inaccuracies in critical areas. A modus operandi called the “lab report” method is offered as a way to avoid making some of these errors. The lab report method is a way of conducting forensic evaluations in a more rational and scientific way, in much the same way as a good researcher would conduct a study. Using this method the clinician, like the researcher, uses clearly articulated alternative hypotheses with specifically operationalized measures. Data are collected in a systematic way to test each hypothesis, and consistent feedback is sought. Throughout the paper the scientific method is reviewed; evidence of problems applying it in clinical practice are presented, as are ways of overcoming these problems.

  • Copyright © 1994, The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online: 22 (4)
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
Vol. 22, Issue 4
1 Dec 1994
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in recommending The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law site.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Guide to Identifying and Correcting Decision Making trrors in Practice Mental Disability Practice
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Guide to Identifying and Correcting Decision Making trrors in Practice Mental Disability Practice
Jonathan Rabinowitz
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Dec 1994, 22 (4) 561-575;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
Guide to Identifying and Correcting Decision Making trrors in Practice Mental Disability Practice
Jonathan Rabinowitz
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Dec 1994, 22 (4) 561-575;
del.icio.us logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • Tales of the Crypt for Psychiatrists: Mourning, Melancholia, and Mortuary Malpractice
  • A Clinical Study of Competency in Psychiatric Inpatients
  • Capacity to Consent to Voluntary Hospitalization: Searching for a Satisfactory Zinermon Screen
Show more ARTICLES

Similar Articles

Site Navigation

  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Ahead of Print
  • Archive
  • Information for Authors
  • About the Journal
  • Editorial Board
  • Feedback
  • Alerts

Other Resources

  • Academy Website
  • AAPL Meetings
  • AAPL Annual Review Course

Reviewers

  • Peer Reviewers

Other Publications

  • AAPL Practice Guidelines
  • AAPL Newsletter
  • AAPL Ethics Guidelines
  • AAPL Amicus Briefs
  • Landmark Cases

Customer Service

  • Cookie Policy
  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Order Physical Copy

Copyright © 2025 by The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law