Question

Beth is a manager at her company, but was asked to interview some potential candidates for an open position. She interviews 15 individuals, and when she is asked to select one candidate for the position, she selects the first person she interviewed, remembering their positive attitude and great qualifications. Something that may be most specifically affecting Beth's decision making is:

A. Primacy effect
B. Recency effect
C. Representative heuristic
D. Confirmation bias

Answer 1

Beth's decision to select the first candidate she interviewed is likely influenced by the Primacy effect, a bias where early information is more influential than what is learned later.

Step-by-step explanation:

Something that may be most specifically affecting Beth's decision making in selecting the first person she interviewed is known as the Primacy effect. This cognitive bias refers to the tendency to remember and place more importance on information that we encounter first.

In contrast to other biases like the recency effect, which places more weight on the most recent information, the primacy effect can cause earlier information to be more influential in decision-making processes.

Other biases such as the confirmation bias refer to the tendency to search for and favor information that reaffirms existing beliefs, while the representative heuristic is a shortcut that leads us to make decisions based on stereotypes. Furthermore, the availability heuristic leans on the most readily recalled examples. However, in Beth's case, the primacy effect is the most likely culprit affecting her choice.