Psychology
What is The availability heuristic?
The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut where we judge how likely something is by how easily examples come to mind. Vivid or recent events feel more common than they are — which is why people may fear rare plane crashes more than common car accidents.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the availability heuristic.
Key things to understand
- 1We judge likelihood by how easily examples spring to mind.
- 2Vivid, recent, or dramatic events feel more common.
- 3It can distort our sense of risk and probability.
- 4Media coverage strongly fuels it.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the availability heuristic?
- A mental shortcut where we estimate how likely something is by how easily we can recall examples of it.
- What's an example of the availability heuristic?
- Fearing plane crashes more than car crashes because dramatic crashes are more memorable, though far rarer.
- Why does the availability heuristic matter?
- It skews our judgment of risk and probability, often making rare, vivid events seem common.