Researchers asked some participants to think of six times they had behaved assertively and asked other participants to think of twelve times they had behaved assertively, and then asked all participants to rate how assertive they thought they really were. Participants who tried to generate six examples of assertive behaviors rated themselves as more assertive than did participants who tried to generate twelve examples. The point that this study illustrates is that __________.

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This study illustrates the availability heuristic, where people judge their assertiveness based on how easily they can recall examples of assertive behavior. Those who found it easier to recall fewer instances judged themselves as more assertive, suggesting they rely on the ease of recall to assess their assertiveness.

Researchers Asked Some Participants to Think of Six Times They