Last week,Mike heard about five separate airplane crashes on the news.Even though,in general,motorcycle accidents account for more accidents than plane crashes do,Mike decides to ride his motorcycle from Washington to Atlanta instead of flying.Which bias is reflected in Mike's decision?
A)The availability heuristic
B)Confirmation bias
C)Syllogistic error
D)The representativeness heuristic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of events that are more easily remembered or readily available in memory. In this case, because Mike heard about five separate airplane crashes on the news, they are more salient and memorable to him than the relatively mundane fact that motorcycle accidents are more common. Therefore, he may overestimate the risk of flying and choose to ride his motorcycle instead.

Last Week,Mike Heard About Five Separate Airplane Crashes on the News.Even