Asked by Mirella Lockwood on May 25, 2024
Verified
Heidi is an exchange student from Sweden. Her host family told her to avoid the central city park 'because last week a weird-looking man was seen hanging around there'. Heidi, in her final year majoring in psychology, reasons that this advice is an instance of the:
A) representativeness heuristic.
B) fundamental attribution error.
C) availability heuristic.
D) self-serving bias.
Availability Heuristic
A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision.
Representativeness Heuristic
A cognitive shortcut that involves judging the probability of an event by its similarity to a prototype, potentially leading to errors in judgment.
Fundamental Attribution Error
The tendency for observers to underestimate situational influences and overestimate personal characteristics when explaining others' behaviors.
- Familiarize oneself with the principle and application of cognitive heuristics in social appraisals.
- Understand the cognitive biases and their effects on perception and decision-making.
Verified Answer
DJ
Dhanisha JajodiaMay 30, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
The advice given to Heidi is based on the availability heuristic, which is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. The host family's warning is influenced by the recent incident involving a "weird-looking man," making the potential danger more salient and readily recalled, thus affecting their judgment and advice.
Learning Objectives
- Familiarize oneself with the principle and application of cognitive heuristics in social appraisals.
- Understand the cognitive biases and their effects on perception and decision-making.