TY - JOUR
T1 - Thinking styles of Australasian paramedics and paramedicine students
AU - Keene, Toby
AU - Pammer, Kristen
AU - Newman, Eryn
AU - Lord, Bill
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2023/11/23
Y1 - 2023/11/23
N2 - Purpose: Paramedics play important roles in healthcare, yet little is known about their decision-making. There is evidence that thinking style is associated with individual preference for intuitive or deliberative decision-making. Design/methodology/approach: Australian and New Zealand paramedics (n = 103; mean age: 38.7; mean 12 years’ experience; 44% female) and paramedic students (n = 101; mean age: 25.7; 59% female) completed a thinking style survey measuring active open-mindedness (AOT), close mindedness (CMT), preference for intuitive thinking (PIT) and preference for effortful thinking (PET). Participants also completed the 7-item Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) to assess ability to override an attractive but incorrect intuition. Findings: With prior exposure to the CRT controlled, regression analysis found increasing AOT and decreasing age predicted cognitive reflection across all participants (R2/R2 adjusted: 0.198/0.157; F(10, 192) = 4.752, p < 0.001). There were moderate correlations between CMT, age and paramedic experience. There was no difference between paramedics and student performance on the CRT, though more students reported prior exposure to the items (33.7 vs 16.5%; Chi-square (2) = 8.02, p = 0.02). Those who reported prior exposure to the CRT scored significantly higher than those who had not (5.08 [1.44] vs 3.87 [1.70]; F(2, 201) = 14.34, p < 0.001). Originality/value: Self-reported AOT was associated with cognitive reflection and indicates a role for open-mindedness in paramedics to support decision-making.
AB - Purpose: Paramedics play important roles in healthcare, yet little is known about their decision-making. There is evidence that thinking style is associated with individual preference for intuitive or deliberative decision-making. Design/methodology/approach: Australian and New Zealand paramedics (n = 103; mean age: 38.7; mean 12 years’ experience; 44% female) and paramedic students (n = 101; mean age: 25.7; 59% female) completed a thinking style survey measuring active open-mindedness (AOT), close mindedness (CMT), preference for intuitive thinking (PIT) and preference for effortful thinking (PET). Participants also completed the 7-item Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) to assess ability to override an attractive but incorrect intuition. Findings: With prior exposure to the CRT controlled, regression analysis found increasing AOT and decreasing age predicted cognitive reflection across all participants (R2/R2 adjusted: 0.198/0.157; F(10, 192) = 4.752, p < 0.001). There were moderate correlations between CMT, age and paramedic experience. There was no difference between paramedics and student performance on the CRT, though more students reported prior exposure to the items (33.7 vs 16.5%; Chi-square (2) = 8.02, p = 0.02). Those who reported prior exposure to the CRT scored significantly higher than those who had not (5.08 [1.44] vs 3.87 [1.70]; F(2, 201) = 14.34, p < 0.001). Originality/value: Self-reported AOT was associated with cognitive reflection and indicates a role for open-mindedness in paramedics to support decision-making.
KW - Cognitive reflection
KW - Decision-making
KW - Emergency medical services
KW - Paramedic
KW - Thinking style
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85163845142&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/IJES-08-2022-0042
DO - 10.1108/IJES-08-2022-0042
M3 - Article
SN - 2047-0894
VL - 12
SP - 371
EP - 383
JO - International Journal of Emergency Services
JF - International Journal of Emergency Services
IS - 3
ER -