Attribute substitution is a general process, proposed as an underlying mechanism for many specific judgment heuristics and biases, in which a person answers a difficult question by unconsciously substituting an easier related question and answering that instead, without necessarily being aware that a substitution has taken place. The psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Shane Frederick formalized the concept in a 2002 chapter, arguing that heuristics such as availability and representativeness can be understood as specific instances of a target attribute, such as an event's true probability, being replaced by a more readily accessible heuristic attribute, such as how easily examples come to mind. The concept has served as an organizing framework within dual-process theories of judgment, tying together many previously separately studied cognitive biases under a single underlying substitution mechanism.
Facts
Core ClaimAttribute substitution is a psychological process thought to underlie a number of cognitive biases and perceptual illusions. It occurs when an individual has to make a judgment (of a target attribute) that is computationally complex, and instead substitutes a more easily calculated heuristic attribute. 1 First Described Year Classification
Type of Phenomenon Connections
Associated With
Kahneman and Tversky's substitution model describes attribute substitution as answering an easier question in place of a harder one.
In Branch
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Attribute substitution
Wikimedia Foundationlead paragraph
Attribute substitution is a psychological process thought to underlie a number of cognitive biases and perceptual illusions. It occurs when an individual has to make a judgment (of a target attribute) that is computationally complex, and instead substitutes a more easily calculated heuristic attribute.
History section, first paragraph
In a 1974 paper, psychologists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman argued that a broad family of biases (systematic errors in judgment and decision) were explainable in terms of a few heuristics (information-processing shortcuts), including availability and representativeness.
lead section, phenomenon-kind classification
Attribute substitution is a psychological process thought to underlie a number of cognitive biases and perceptual illusions.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.