Natalia Watched a Vivid Report on the Local Washington, D

question 15

Multiple Choice

Natalia watched a vivid report on the local Washington, D.C., news about two murders that occurred in the city just that day. Later she was talking to Dita about gun control, and greatly overestimated the national murder rate involving guns in arguing for more regulation of firearms. To make her argument with a more accurate estimate, Natalia should have realized that:

• A) the representativeness heuristic was affecting her estimate and looked for an example from another city.
• B) she was anchoring her estimate to the number reported in the newscast and adjusted her estimate more.
• C) her recent experiences with the vivid news stories could affect her estimate and looked for a more reliable estimate of the rate.
• D) the news story was nudging her toward an inaccurate estimate, so she should not pay attention to it.

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Definitions:

Components

The parts or elements that make up a whole system or object, each serving a specific function.

Disaster Strikes

A phrase used to describe the occurrence of a catastrophic event that causes significant damage, distress, or loss.

Mental Health Clinicians

Professionals trained to diagnose and provide treatment for mental illness and psychological distress.

Chaos

Complete disorder and confusion, often referring to situations where there is a lack of order or predictability.