Which of the following best describes the availability heuristic?
A) the inclination to see events that have already occurred as being more predictable than they were before they took place
B) the phenomenon in which people predict the frequency of an event based on how easily an example can be brought to mind
C) a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used
D) the tendency for people to favor information that confirms their preconceptions regardless of whether the information is true

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is the tendency for people to estimate the likelihood of an event based on how easily examples of it come to mind. Essentially, people use the ease with which examples of the event come to mind as a shortcut for determining its likelihood. This bias can lead to inaccurate estimations if people are more likely to remember dramatic or memorable examples than less dramatic but more typical examples.

Which of the Following Best Describes the Availability Heuristic