Heuristic Use

Definition

Heuristic use refers to the cognitive strategy individuals employ when making judgments or decisions based on mental shortcuts rather than thorough analysis. It involves using simplified rules of thumb to quickly arrive at conclusions.

Related terms

Confirmation Bias:

The tendency to seek out information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

Availability Heuristic:

A mental shortcut where we base judgments on the ease with which examples come readily into our minds.

Representativeness Heuristic:

A mental shortcut where we make judgments based on how well something matches our prototypes/expectations.