Heuristics

Affect heuristic is when you make a snap judgment based on a quick impression. This heuristic views a situation quickly and decides without further research whether a thing is good or bad. Naturally, this heuristic can be both helpful and hurtful when applied in the wrong situation. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

4 out of 5 dentists prefer Crest toothpaste so you should buy Crest.

Availability heuristic allows a person to judge a situation on the basis of the examples of similar situations that come to mind. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

Drug usage is up because more states have legalized marijuana.

Contagion heuristic causes an individual to avoid something that is thought to be bad or contaminated. For example, when eggs are recalled due to a salmonella outbreak, someone might apply this simple solution and decide to avoid eggs altogether to prevent sickness. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

Elsa got sick eating a hamburger at a fast food restaurant and now she will not eat hamburgers at any fast food restaurant.

Absurdity heuristic is an approach to a situation that is very atypical and unlikely - in other words, a situation that is absurd. This particular heuristic is applied when a claim or a belief seems silly, or seems to defy common sense. Which of the following answers is an example of this heuristic?

If we reach the end of a rainbow, we will be rewarded with a pot of gold.

Scarcity heuristic is used when a particular object becomes rare or scarce. This approach suggests that if something is scarce, then it is more desirable to obtain. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

The Black Friday sale says there is a limited supply so buy the product before it's all gone.

Authority heuristic occurs when someone believes the opinion of a person of authority on a subject just because the individual is an authority figure. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning so avoid driving in low-lying areas.

Educated guess is a heuristic that allows a person to reach a conclusion without exhaustive research. With an educated guess a person considers what they have observed in the past, and applies that history to a situation where a more definite answer has not yet been decided. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

Traffic is backed up on the freeway because there likely is an accident.

Rule of thumb applies a broad approach to problem solving. It is a simple heuristic that allows an individual to make an approximation without having to do exhaustive research. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

You don't wear white after Labor Day.

Working backward allows a person to solve a problem by assuming that they have already solved it, and working backward in their minds to see how such a solution might have been reached. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

You live in Lake Havasu City and have tickets for the concert that begins at 8 p.m. in Las Vegas so you probably should leave about 3:30 p.m. to make it in time.

Familiarity heuristic allows someone to approach an issue or problem based on the fact that the situation is one with which the individual is familiar, and so one should act the same way they acted in the same situation before. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

You need to get yogurt for breakfast so you spot the brand of yogurt you've bought dozens of times before; you grab it, you pay for it, and you're out of there

Consistency heuristic is a heuristic where a person responds to a situation in way that allows them to remain consistent. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

Lee takes the same route to work every day.

Common sense is a heuristic that is applied to a problem based on an individual's observation of a situation. It is a practical and prudent approach that is applied to a decision where the right and wrong answers seems relatively clear cut. Which of the following is an example of this heuristic?

Slow internet is causing the online movie to buffer.