Effects of Extremity and Valence on the Availability Heuristic

Author

Joel W. Roberts, University of Texas at ArlingtonFollow

Graduation Semester and Year

Fall 2024

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Jared Kenworthy

Second Advisor

Huner Ball

Third Advisor

Logan Watts

Abstract

This thesis explored the impact of extreme information on availability heuristics, specifically focusing on the differences between extreme negative and extreme positive information. Previous research has only used negative information to test extremes in availability heuristics. This project replicated and expanded upon a study by Rothbart et al. (1978) which only used extreme negative information. These studies replicated the extreme negative information experiment as well as having conditions with mildly positive and extreme positive information, and a condition with both extreme negative and extreme positive information. Results from these studies indicate that only extreme negative information has an effect on the availability heuristic. Extreme positive information did not produce any effect.

Keywords

Heuristics, Availability heuristic, Valence, Extremity

Disciplines

Cognition and Perception | Cognitive Psychology | Social Psychology

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Roberts, Joel W., "Effects of Extremity and Valence on the Availability Heuristic" (2024). Psychology Theses. 163.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/psychology_theses/163