There Have Been a Number of Reports in the News

question 93

Multiple Choice

There have been a number of reports in the news about the Avian Flu, including reports of a number of deaths. Other forms of flu kill many more people every year, but many people state that the Avian Flu is much more dangerous. Which of the following is likely responsible for this overestimation of the danger of Avian Flu?

• A)representativeness heuristic
• B)availability heuristic
• C)belief in the law of small numbers
• D)confirmation bias

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Definitions:

Evolution

The process through which species of organisms change over time through genetic variation and natural selection.

Directional Natural Selection

A process where natural selection favors one extreme phenotype over others, causing a shift in the population's genetic variance.

Shift

A change in position, direction, or tendency, often indicating a transformation in conditions or strategies.

Traits

Traits refer to distinguishable characteristics or attributes of organisms, which can be physical, such as color and size, or behavioral.