Even though stomach cancer kills more people than plane crashes do, most people tend to assume that plane crashes cause more deaths. This misconception seems to arise from ____, since plane crash fatalities tend to be widely publicized and are therefore relatively easy for people to recall.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The misconception arises from the availability heuristic, which suggests that people estimate the likelihood of an event based on how easily examples of the event come to mind. Since plane crashes are highly publicized, they are more easily recalled than stomach cancer cases, leading people to overestimate their frequency.

Even Though Stomach Cancer Kills More People Than Plane Crashes