Eye-Tracking Study of Framing Effects in Valuing and Saving Human Lives:how people value and save lives of different sexes and ages

In this study we ask the question of how people value and decide to save human life with different ages and sexes, and how does this decision vary across different framings. We designed an eye-tracking study with a forced choice task consisted of four silhouettes representing people with different ages and sexes. We found that although younger ages are generally preferred, this preference is greatly reduced when participants are asked which life not to save, also when people are making a rule instead of a onetime decision, they tend to be more equal to lives with all ages. The gaze behavior and scan path showed a strong learning phase at the early trials, and the longer dwell time found in the negative right condition indicated a higher threshold to reach a decision.