Danica is working on a research paper for her graduate course in applied geology. The paper has to be at least 30 pages long. Instead of sitting down and trying to compose 30 pages, she constructs an outline and writes the paper one section at a time. In cognitive psychology, Danica is using the ________ heuristic.
A) availability
B) representativeness
C) subgoals
D) working backwards

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Danica is breaking down the task of writing a 30-page research paper into smaller, more manageable subgoals, which is an example of the subgoals heuristic. This helps her focus on one section at a time instead of being overwhelmed by the prospect of writing 30 pages at once. The availability heuristic involves making decisions based on readily available information, the representativeness heuristic involves making judgments based on similarities to a prototype, and working backwards involves solving a problem by starting with the end goal and working backwards to the beginning.

Danica Is Working on a Research Paper for Her Graduate