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🧠ap psychology review

Heuristics in AP Psychology

Verified for the 2027 exam
Verified for the 2027 exam•Fiveable Content Team

Definition

Heuristics are mental shortcuts or "rules of thumb" that often involve focusing on one aspect of a complex problem and ignoring others. These strategies do not guarantee accuracy but they simplify decision-making and save time.

This definition is part of Fiveable's AP Psychology review, which also has guided practice questions.

AP course connection

Topic 9.5: Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination

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Unit 9

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Heuristics cheat sheet

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Theoretical Perspectives

Heuristics

Study And Research Findings

Tversky and Kahneman's work on heuristics is seminal, highlighting the availability, representativeness, and anchoring heuristics which can lead to cognitive biases and systematic errors in judgment.

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