Question

Imagine you have many good memories associated with the first part of a course when the initial professor taught, but were sick for the second half when the second professor taught. Which concept explains why you more likely to rate the first professor as a better teacher, and why?

A). Availability heuristic; you have more positive memories with the first professor.

B). Representativeness heuristic; time with your first professor is more representative of your capabilities as a student.

C). Representativeness heuristic; you have more positive memories with the first professor.

D). Availability heuristic; time with your first professor is more representative of your capabilities as a student.

Answer 1

The availability heuristic explains why you are more likely to rate the first professor as a better teacher because you have more positive memories with them.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is A) Availability heuristic; you have more positive memories with the first professor.

The availability heuristic is a cognitive bias in which we rely on easily accessible information, such as personal experiences or vivid memories, to make judgments or decisions. In this case, you have many good memories associated with the first professor because you were able to attend their classes and have positive interactions with them. These memories are more easily recalled and are therefore more available in your mind compared to the second professor, whom you were unable to experience due to your illness.

It's important to note that the availability heuristic can sometimes lead to biased judgments because easily remembered instances might not accurately reflect the overall reality or representativeness of a situation. In this case, your positive memories with the first professor may influence your perception of their teaching abilities, even though you only experienced the first part of the course with them.