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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements best reflects the current understanding of the availability and representativeness heuristics in cognitive psychology?
A
They are always accurate and never lead to mistakes in decision-making.
B
They are not useful and should be entirely avoided in all situations.
C
They are mental shortcuts that can be useful but may sometimes lead to errors in judgment.
D
They are only used by individuals with cognitive impairments.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of heuristics in cognitive psychology. Heuristics are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that people use to make decisions quickly and efficiently.
Step 2: Define the availability heuristic. This heuristic involves estimating the likelihood of an event based on how easily examples come to mind, which can sometimes lead to biased judgments if memorable events are not representative of actual probabilities.
Step 3: Define the representativeness heuristic. This heuristic involves judging the probability of an event by how much it resembles a typical case, which can lead to errors such as ignoring base rates or statistical realities.
Step 4: Recognize that both heuristics are useful because they simplify complex decision-making processes, but they are not infallible and can sometimes cause systematic errors or biases.
Step 5: Evaluate the given statements in light of this understanding, identifying that the best reflection is that these heuristics are mental shortcuts that can be useful but may sometimes lead to errors in judgment.