In cognitive psychology, a heuristic allowing people to make quick judgments using little information is referred to as a:

• A. availability heuristic
• B. representativeness heuristic
• C. anchoring heuristic
• D. confirmation bias

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of heuristics in cognitive psychology. Heuristics are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that simplify decision-making and problem-solving processes.
2. Step 2: Review the definitions of the given heuristics: the availability heuristic involves judging the likelihood of events based on how easily examples come to mind; the representativeness heuristic involves judging probabilities based on how much something resembles a typical case; the anchoring heuristic involves relying heavily on an initial piece of information (the 'anchor') when making decisions.
3. Step 3: Identify which heuristic specifically refers to making quick judgments using little information. This heuristic uses an initial reference point to make estimates or decisions rapidly.
4. Step 4: Recognize that the anchoring heuristic fits this description because it allows people to make quick judgments by relying on an initial anchor, even if that information is limited or insufficient.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the heuristic described in the problem is the anchoring heuristic, as it best matches the definition of making quick judgments using little information.