Trading forensic and family commitments.
A. J. Kearney, T. G. Gutheil and M. L. Commons,
Bull. Amer. Acad. Psychiatry & the Law
24(4): 533-46, 1996.
This pilot study explores the balancing of conflicting family and forensic commitments among
forensic experts. Drawing upon consumer preference theory and behavioral economics, the authors
devised an instrument to elicit choices between upholding family commitments and professional
commitments. The instrument was administered to 15 forensic experts, and the data were used to
construct trading functions for each individual. These functions were examined to reveal the
decision-making process behind balancing conflicting sets of commitments. The study also examined
the relationship between the trading functions and each participant's attitude toward the role of the
expert witness, as well as some personal characteristics.