Heuristic: if we think without thinking

What are heuristics?

Sometimes when decisions or conclusions, called a type of mental shortcuts heuristics. A heuristic is a rule or a simple strategy to solve problems such as "it is more expensive, the better," "If you are overweight because they eat a lot," "if a food in a health food store should be healthy", "if A is friends with B, and A is a good person, then B is a good person. "

Heuristics help to think or not to think less and act quickly, you can make life easier, but often the results of this way of thinking is wrong and illogical.

If we use, we will focus on the similarity of an object to another, and that to apply the first and second acts. For example, high-quality products are often expensive, so if you see tend to think a face to it's high quality. Of course this is not always the case. And sometimes the producers or distributors are focused on the sale of products that we would not buy if you think about leaving the details.

For example, we tend to think that if the package says "100% natural" means that it is better and healthier, and we bought it without thinking much about it. But if you look at the label, because it is full of hydrogenated fats. Sometimes it's the same package that you choose us makes a product. For example, we can see a few cookies in a box with bright colors, seems with images of strange characters, sugar balls, the food, and immediately thought it was a waste of a lot of sugar, which is clearly aimed at children and "junk food more like "(another heuristic). However, if we dig a little deeper and read the ingredients, you might be confused again.

Presidential election, the candidate is usually higher, and almost never will soon decide a candidate, because he tends to be seen as mentally weaker soon. But if the same bald head, it changes everything is shaved: it is perceived as masculine and dominant.

The representative heuristic is often used to judge people or form impressions of them. For example, stereotypes on race or gender, and what can make it better either sex or certain personality traits that are associated with a particular race. Therefore, most people tend to think (without thinking) a person physically attractive qualities better, or people are considered higher social status is more trustworthy.

Types of heuristics. The availability heuristic

Often we come to a conclusion or another according to the information available on our mind on the issue. For example, if someone asks you if you are someone who is friendly and work on your mind at the first to know seems to be a memory of an event that behave a little angered, one can say that is not pleasant, but rather whether the memory in your mind more than once that he was very good, it's nice concluirás. Sometimes it is useful heuristic: if your mind quickly many examples of this person who is going nicely, it probably is. But often the first thing that comes to mind is not necessarily a good example of how that person is behaving normally.

Another example is in the results of a study showing that people who have seen a lot of television (with all the amount of violence that often) to see, I think they do a lot more violent crime than they showed people think the TV less and Comment observe is true.

Types of heuristics. The heuristic

Attitudes refer to the evaluation of an object does (good or bad). People use the heuristic as a means of decision making. For example, if we have a negative attitude towards a celebrity, we tend to believe negative statements about him, and it would be unwise, dictatorial or poor grades in school.

In one study, students of both sexes, had a. More positive or negative of a woman while eating Thus women, healthy food was more feminine, attractive and pleasant to eat junk food eating.

Another effect of this heuristic is that the purchase makes you think. The number of people who agree with you to a point substantially greater than the current That is: "If I believe in something, most people think the same thing."

When we use heuristics tend?

Of course, while all of the heuristics used from time to time, we are quite capable to draw on the use and reasoning, conclusions and make decisions. This leads us to one or another way of thinking using ... or not you think? We tend to use heuristics:
• When you do not have time to discuss in detail.
• If we go through the vast amount of information is overwhelming enormous and we can not treat.
• When the subject is not important.
• If we have little information or knowledge to have to make an informed decision.
• If you do not want to think about.

What should we do when we buy cookies and have a term of 30 different kinds of cookies, with little time and less willing? It turns out that when an ad for a brand of biscuits several times on television saw immediately come to mind, and thinking (heuristics) "is a brand name, and if you know c, because it is good."

That is, sometimes we have no choice but to rely on heuristics in order to be paralyzed or take forever to do anything, but now that you read this article you can achieve when deciding with heuristics and realize better if damage can not be used to make a decision.
Insight and introspection