Understanding Mental Shortcuts:

Mental Shortcuts:

Mental shortcuts — also known as cognitive heuristics — are quick, automatic ways our brains simplify complex decision-making. They help us make judgments and solve problems efficiently, especially under uncertainty or time pressure. While helpful, they can also lead to errors or biases.

Here are some common types:

Availability Heuristic

We judge how likely something is based on how easily examples come to mind.
 Example: After seeing news about plane crashes, people may overestimate how dangerous flying is.

Representativeness Heuristic

We assess similarity to a prototype and ignore statistical realities.
 Example: Assuming someone who loves books and is quiet must be a librarian, not a salesperson.

Anchoring Heuristic

We rely heavily on the first piece of information (the “anchor”) when making decisions.
 Example: If you’re told a shirt was $200 but now it’s $100, you perceive it as a good deal — even if $100 is still high.

Confirmation Bias

We favor information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore contradictory evidence.
 Example: A person who believes in astrology may notice accurate horoscopes but ignore the wrong ones.

Affect Heuristic

Decisions are influenced by emotions and gut feelings rather than logic.
 Example: Feeling good about a product’s brand leads you to think it’s better, regardless of facts.

Status Quo Bias

We prefer things to stay the same and resist change.
 Example: Sticking with a current insurance provider even if better options exist.

Shervan K Shahhian