Judgmental Heuristics

Judgmental heuristics are mental shortcuts that we use to make judgments and decisions quickly and efficiently. These shortcuts work well most of the time but can lead to errors in judgment.

These are a form of Fixed-Action Patterns Trigger Automatic Responses that help us navigate a complex world. We rely on them because we don't have the time or mental energy to analyze every piece of information.

Examples of judgmental heuristics include:

• The "expensive = good" stereotype
• The "because" heuristic
• The belief that "if an expert said so, it must be true"

While these heuristics are often reliable, they can be exploited.