Decision-Making Biases
Affect heuristic
Letting immediate feelings stand in for analysis.
What Is Affect heuristic?
Affect heuristic is a thinking trap where letting immediate feelings stand in for analysis.
How It Tricks You
It can make one option feel obvious before the tradeoffs have been checked.
Real-World Example
A cheerful pitch makes a weak plan feel more promising.
Seen Online As
- The fast interpretation is doing more work than the evidence.
- The claim feels obvious before the check question is asked.
- A shortcut is making the judgment feel more certain than it is.
What To Ask Instead
What facts remain if I set the feeling aside briefly?
Related Thinking Traps
Common Situations
Quick FAQ
What is Affect heuristic?
Letting immediate feelings stand in for analysis.
What is an example of Affect heuristic?
A cheerful pitch makes a weak plan feel more promising.
How do I spot Affect heuristic?
What facts remain if I set the feeling aside briefly?