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A Case for Humans-in-the-Loop: Decisions in the Presence of Erroneous Algorithmic Scores

Research output: Book chapter › Conference contribution › peer-review

189 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The increased use of algorithmic predictions in sensitive domains has been accompanied by both enthusiasm and concern. To understand the opportunities and risks of these technologies, it is key to study how experts alter their decisions when using such tools. In this paper, we study the adoption of an algorithmic tool used to assist child maltreatment hotline screening decisions. We focus on the question: Are humans capable of identifying cases in which the machine is wrong, and of overriding those recommendations? We first show that humans do alter their behavior when the tool is deployed. Then, we show that humans are less likely to adhere to the machine's recommendation when the score displayed is an incorrect estimate of risk, even when overriding the recommendation requires supervisory approval. These results highlight the risks of full automation and the importance of designing decision pipelines that provide humans with autonomy.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCHI 2020 - Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery
Pages1-12
Number of pages12
ISBN (Electronic)9781450367080
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Apr 2020
Externally publishedYes
Event2020 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2020 - Honolulu, United States
Duration: 25 Apr 2020 → 30 Apr 2020

Publication series

NameConference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings

Conference

Conference2020 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2020
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityHonolulu
Period25/04/20 → 30/04/20

Keywords

  • algorithm assisted decision making
  • algorithm aversion
  • automation bias
  • child welfare
  • decision support
  • human-in-the-loop

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