Final answer:
The availability heuristic refers to the tendency to evaluate new information based on the most recent or most easily recalled examples.
Step-by-step explanation:
When some of the evidence relevant to a claim is very memorable or striking, people's judgments are apt to be more influenced by it than by more humdrum evidence. This is known as the availability heuristic. The availability heuristic refers to the tendency to evaluate new information based on the most recent or most easily recalled examples. For example, people in the United States estimate the probability of dying by violent crime or terrorism much more highly than they ought to, because these events are more readily available in their memory through news media and fiction. It is important to be aware of the availability heuristic to avoid being swayed by memorable but potentially misleading evidence.