What cognitive bias is at play when Marcelino thinks the most common cause of death among teenagers is suicide after two incidents?

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Prepare for the ASU PSY290 Research Methods Exam 1. Use multiple choice questions with comprehensive explanations. Ensure success by learning key concepts and techniques.

The situation described reflects the availability heuristic, which is a cognitive bias that occurs when individuals rely on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. In this case, Marcelino has experienced or recalled two incidents of teenage suicide, which makes this information readily available in his mind. As a result, he overestimates the prevalence of suicide as a cause of death among teenagers, thinking it is more common than it truly is.

The availability heuristic often leads people to make judgments based on what they can easily recall, rather than on more comprehensive data or statistics. This bias illustrates how recent or vivid experiences can disproportionately influence our perception of reality. Marcelino's belief stems from his heightened awareness and recent exposure to the events, thus affecting his judgment on the overall risk of suicide in teenagers.

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