Heuristics

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.

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.

Related terms

Availability Heuristic:

A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method or decision.

Representativeness Heuristic:

A cognitive bias in which an individual categorizes a situation based on a pattern of previous experiences or beliefs about the scenario.

Confirmation Bias:

The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses.