The Impact of Cognitive Styles and Decision-Making: In this highly interactive lecture, Ms. Poland, the creator of the Preferred Cognitive Styles and Decision-Making Model (PCSDM), explores how people make decisions and defines different cognitive styles. She addresses how an individual’s cognitive style impacts and even predicts decision-making across their life, particularly within health decision-making. Ms. Poland gives participants helpful insights in identifying a variety of cognitive styles. She then provides helpful strategies that can be utilized when communicating with individuals who employ each specific cognitive style. (You can read more about the Preferred Cognitive Styles and Decision-Making Model here)

The Psychology of Decision-Making and Cognitive Biases in Science and Medicine: This lecture will take listeners through some of the psychological impacts on decision-making, explore common cognitive biases and heuristics, and provide a way forward in navigating the decision-making process.

The Use of Human Centered Design and the Empathy Tool in Health Decision-Making: In this lecture, Ms. Poland utilizes principles from Human-Centered Design and the Empathy Tool (published in the journal Vaccine in Spring 2021) to discuss the important trust-building process between Health Care Provider and patient. The Empathy Tool will be introduced as a means of exploring patient values, concerns, and influences on their decision-making. This interactive process between HCP and patient helps build trust and understanding, and creates a non-threatening way for a patient’s decision-making to be challenged in appropriate and healthy ways.