Myers' Psychology for AP®, 2e, Module 35

algorithm

a methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem. Contrasts with the usually speedier--but also more error-prone--use of heuristics. (p. 361)

availability heuristic

estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we presume such events are common. (p. 364)

belief perseverance

clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited. (p. 367)

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence. (p. 362)

framing

the way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments. (p. 368)

heuristic

a simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently; usually speedier but also more error-prone than algorithms. (p. 361)

insight

a sudden realization of a problem's solution; contrasts with strategy-based solutions. (p. 361)

intuition

an effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning. (p. 363)

mental set

a tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past. (p. 362)

overconfidence

the tendency to be more confident than correct--to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments. (p. 365)

representativeness heuristic

judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; may lead us to ignore other relevant information. (p. 364)