At first, people came through Tamara's gate at the fair in groups of two or three.Later, group size increased substantially.The same number of people went through Nick's gate, but in the opposite pattern-many large groups at first, then dwindling.Tamara estimated the crowd at 2,000, but Nick estimated 7,000.The difference in their estimates can best be explained by:
A)the representativeness heuristic
B)the availability heuristic
C)the anchoring and adjustment heuristic
D)the working backward heuristic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The difference in their estimates suggests that Tamara and Nick used different reference points or "anchors" when estimating the size of the crowd. Tamara's initial reference point may have been the smaller groups she observed at first, while Nick's initial reference point may have been the larger groups he observed at first. They each adjusted their estimates based on the subsequent groups they observed. This phenomenon is known as the anchoring and adjustment heuristic.

At First, People Came Through Tamara's Gate at the Fair