Availability Heuristic Bias

An Availability Heuristic Bias is a heuristic bias that overestimates event probabilitys based on memory recall ease.

• AKA: Availability Bias, Recall Availability Bias, Memory Accessibility Bias.
• Context:
  • It can typically amplify Media Negativity Bias through salient example recall.
  • It can typically distort risk perceptions via recent event overweighting.
  • It can often influence decision-making tasks through probability misjudgment.
  • It can often interact with confirmation bias in belief formation.
  • It can range from being a Weak Availability Heuristic Bias to being a Strong Availability Heuristic Bias, depending on its effect magnitude.
  • It can range from being a Domain-Specific Availability Heuristic Bias to being a General Availability Heuristic Bias, depending on its application scope.
  • It can range from being a Temporary Availability Heuristic Bias to being a Persistent Availability Heuristic Bias, depending on its duration pattern.
  • It can range from being a Individual Availability Heuristic Bias to being a Collective Availability Heuristic Bias, depending on its social spread.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Safety Risk Biases, such as:
    • Air Travel Fear Bias after plane crash coverage.
    • Terrorism Threat Bias following terrorist attacks.
  • Medical Judgment Biases, such as:
    • Rare Disease Overdiagnosis Bias from recent case exposure.
    • Common Condition Underdiagnosis Bias due to routine familiarity.
  • Financial Decision Biases, such as:
    • Market Crash Fear Bias after economic downturn.
    • Investment Bubble Blindness Bias during prosperity periods.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Statistical Analysis Method, which uses base rates.
  • Actuarial Assessment Method, which employs probability calculations.
  • Evidence-Based Decision Method, which requires systematic data.
• See: Heuristic Bias, Cognitive Bias, Negativity Bias, Media Negativity Bias, Confirmation Bias, Anchoring Bias, Representative Heuristic.

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