After learning that her two best friends had lost their jobs,Mariah began to grossly overestimate the national unemployment rate.Mariah's reaction best illustrates the consequences of
A) confirmation bias.
B) the availability heuristic.
C) fixation.
D) belief perseverance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mariah's reaction of overestimating the national unemployment rate is an example of the availability heuristic, which is the tendency to base judgments on the most readily available information, such as information that is easily retrievable from memory or that is currently salient in one's environment (in this case, her friends' job loss). This can lead to overestimating the frequency or likelihood of certain events or situations.

After Learning That Her Two Best Friends Had Lost Their