What cognitive phenomenon does Sato associate with the availability heuristic?

The availability heuristic refers to a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. This cognitive phenomenon indicates that individuals will often base their judgments on examples that are readily accessible in their memory rather than drawing on complete or comprehensive data. Because specific instances or experiences are easier to recall, people may overestimate the likelihood of events simply because those examples are available in their minds.

When individuals think of a certain topic—such as the risk of flying versus driving—they might recall news stories or personal experiences related to plane crashes versus car accidents. If they can easily recall more airplane incidents, they may conclude that flying is riskier than it statistically is, even if data suggests driving is more dangerous overall. Thus, this tendency to rely on examples that come to mind forms the core of why the availability heuristic is so impactful in decision-making and judgment processes.