The affect heuristic is a type of cognitive bias where decisions are strongly influenced by emotions rather than rational evaluation of facts. It allows people to make quick judgments, but it can lead to inaccurate assessments of risk and benefit.
EXAMPLE
John enjoyed playing on swings as a child and has positive memories associated with them. Whenever he sees swings in a park, he feels happy and safe, so he immediately chooses to play on them.
Kathy, on the other hand, once fell from a swing and hurt herself. She associates swings with fear and pain. When she sees one, she instantly decides swings are dangerous and avoids them.
Both individuals make decisions based on emotional associations, not objective risk assessment.
In the affect heuristic, the affect can be divided into a feeling state and a quality.
A feeling state is what people feel and experience, such as happiness and sadness. Quality is the stimulus associated with the source that triggers the emotions. Those can be sounds, words, and weather.
Together, these components shape how people judge situations, opportunities, and risks.
What is the Affect Heuristic?
In psychology, a heuristic is a mental shortcut that helps people make fast decisions. These shortcuts reduce cognitive effort, especially when information is complex or limited. While heuristics can be helpful, they also increase the risk of biased thinking.
The affect heuristic occurs when people rely on their emotional response (affect) instead of objective analysis when making decisions.
Rather than carefully weighing pros and cons, individuals ask themselves:
“How do I feel about this?”
That emotional reaction then guides judgment, often without conscious awareness.
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The affect heuristic refers to the tendency of people to rely on their emotions instead of objective information. This is a mental shortcut to make decisions.
The affect heuristic affects decision-making by triggering emotional feelings. When emotions are triggered, the person is not in a state of efficiently using logical reasoning. So, that’s how affect heuristics affect decisions.
Affect is a psychological term used for an emotional response. The affect is further divided as:
- Feeling state: This is what people feel and experience, such as happiness and sadness.
- Quality: The stimulus associated with the source triggers the emotions. These can be sounds, words, or weather.
Heuristic bias can be detected by using mindfulness practises like paying attention to our thoughts and emotions in the present.
