The availability heuristic is judging how likely something is by how easily examples come to mind — so vivid, recent, or scary events feel far more common than they are. Examples:
What is the availability heuristic? Read the full idea →A single plane crash dominates the news for days, so flying feels dangerous — even though the drive to the airport is statistically the riskier part.
Heavy coverage of a rare, dramatic crime makes it feel like it's everywhere, even as the actual rate falls.
A couple of recent examples in your circle make divorce feel inevitable, regardless of the real base rate.
Flood insurance sales spike right after a flood — when the memory is vivid — and fade as it recedes, though the risk hasn't changed.
Both partners feel they do "most" of the housework, because your own efforts are far easier to recall than your partner's.
That's just how memory works. Lock the availability heuristic in with a 5-minute active-recall session — spaced repetition, no signup.
Try this idea free →One tap adds it to your review queue — we bring it back right before you'd forget.