Final answer:
People use heuristics as mental shortcuts to simplify complex decision-making. This process is largely unconscious and allows quick and efficient processing of information, although it can sometimes result in cognitive biases and suboptimal decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
People have limited capacity to process social information and therefore use heuristics or develop simple rules (heuristic) in order to make complex issues more simple. To answer the question, the correct option is a) Intuition. In social cognition, heuristics are mental shortcuts that simplify decision making by reducing complex problems to simpler, more easily processed forms. Kahneman describes problem-solving with heuristics as being largely unconscious, automated, effortless, and efficient.
When confronted with a complex choice, such as deciding for whom to vote, individuals often rely on rules of thumb to guide them instead of engaging in a deep analysis of every candidate's record. For example, a voter may choose a candidate based on party affiliation rather than an extensive examination of each candidate's policies and history. This is an example of the substitution heuristic, which is a cognitive shortcut where a difficult problem is replaced with an easier one.
In situations demanding a quick decision, such as choosing a meal from a menu, one might opt for the daily special without scrutinizing every option, again using a heuristic. Cognitive biases may arise when relying on heuristics, leading to less-than-optimal decisions, yet they allow for quick and efficient processing of information in our everyday lives.