Jacob's friend Tom asks him, "Do you think I'm short-tempered?" Jacob had never really thought about how short-tempered or calm Tom was until he asked. Nonetheless, Jacob was able to provide him a quick answer. What social cognitive process was most likely involved in this judgment?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic involves using the most easily available information to make a judgment or decision. In this case, Jacob used the information that Tom had just asked him about his short-temperedness, making this information easily retrievable in his mind and influencing his judgment.

Jacob's Friend Tom Asks Him, "Do You Think I'm Short-Tempered