Asked by Spencer Hamer- on May 05, 2024
Verified
Fatal automobile accidents occur much more frequently than do fatal airplane crashes,yet airplane crashes receive a disproportionate amount of media coverage.As a result,some people are overly fearful of flying in planes yet have no problem riding in cars.Which of the following cognitive biases best explains this disconnect between these people's fears and the statistical realities?
A) Overconfidence effect.
B) Availability heuristic.
C) Self-serving bias.
D) Confirmation bias.
Availability Heuristic
A cognitive bias where individuals rely on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision.
Cognitive Biases
Misperceptions or misunderstandings that cause systematic errors. Most result either (1) from heuristics that are prone to systematic errors or (2) because the brain is attempting to solve a type of problem (such as a calculus problem) for which it was not evolutionarily evolved and for which it has little innate capability.
Media Coverage
The reporting and analysis of news and information by various media outlets, influencing public perception and awareness of events and issues.
- Comprehend how heuristics and cognitive biases shape the decision-making framework.
Verified Answer
YZ
Yasmine ZakariaMay 10, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
The availability heuristic bias refers to the tendency of people to judge the likelihood of an event based on how easily they can recall or imagine relevant examples. In this case, people may recall more vividly the news stories about airplane crashes that receive extensive media coverage, which makes them think that flying is more dangerous than driving. However, they fail to consider the statistical reality that fatal car accidents occur much more frequently.
Learning Objectives
- Comprehend how heuristics and cognitive biases shape the decision-making framework.