In the three months following the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center buildings in New York City,the rate of traffic fatalities increased by about 350 people.This increase was most likely due to the operation of __________.
A)the effect of sample size
B)the familiarity bias
C)the salience bias
D)the representativeness heuristic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The salience bias is the tendency to overemphasize and give more weight to information that is more noticeable or prominent. The 9/11 attack was a highly salient event that received extensive media coverage and public attention. As a result, people may have become more fearful or anxious about traveling by airplane and opted to drive instead, leading to an increase in traffic fatalities. This is an example of how the salience bias can affect decision-making and perception of risk.

In the Three Months Following the 9/11 Attack on the World