How Convergence of Research Paradigms Can Improve Research on Diagnostic Judgment

The author's purpose is to urge the constructive convergence of two current judgment and decision-making research paradigms. He shows why the heuristics-and-biases approach and the lens-model approach should be placed in the context of two very different metatheories, the coherence metatheory and the correspondence metatheory. The differences between the two research paradigms thus become apparent; they speak to different problems and appeal to different criteria for evaluating performance. Bringing the two into a constructive relationship to one another, however, will not only double the store of knowledge regarding diagnostic judgment and decision making, but also enhance efforts to achieve a cumulative discipline. Isolating these research paradigms from one another—as is done now—stifles theoretical generality, frag ments knowledge, and confuses medical decision makers. An example of how con vergence can be achieved is provided. Key words: diagnostic judgment; Bayes' the orem ; lens model. (Med Decis Making 1996;16:281-287)