Why do we focus on one characteristic to compare when choosing between alternatives?
Take-the-best Heuristic
, explained.What is the take-the-best heuristic?
The take-the-best heuristic is a shortcut we use when making decisions between alternatives, so that we can quickly make decisions without having to know all the information about each alternative.
When we employ the take-the-best heuristic, we decide based on only one cue or characteristic which we think differentiates the options.1 Instead of considering all the reasons why we might choose one alternative over the other, we pick one reason and base our decision solely on that reason.2
Where this bias occurs
Picture yourself at the grocery store, looking through the food aisles. You’re looking for milk – which these days, means you’re met with dozens of options. Not only do you have to decide between fat percentage (skim, 2% whole milk) but also different sources (almond, soy, oat, dairy). That’s before we even factor in different flavours and sweetness! How can you make a decision that will satisfy your needs quickly when there are so many alternatives?
It’s in moments like these that you are likely to use the take-the-best heuristic. It would take too much time for you to carefully consider all the different reasons why you might pick one milk over the other. Reasons can include price, value, nutritional benefits, brand, etc. So, you’re likely to pick just one reason and compare the milks based on that reason alone. Price often gets used as the take-the-best reason, which makes it easy for you to pick – you’ll just get the cheapest one!
The take-the-best heuristic can be employed whenever you must choose between alternatives. The shortcut can help make decision-making simpler and more effective, but also means that you’re ignoring a lot of variables which could matter in truly determining which choice is the best one.
