Hazardous Heuristics

32 Pages Posted: 23 Nov 2002

See all articles by Cass R. Sunstein

Cass R. Sunstein

Harvard Law School; Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS)

Date Written: October 2002

Abstract

New work on heuristics and biases has explored the role of emotions and affect; the idea of "dual processing"; the place of heuristics and biases outside of the laboratory; and the implications of heuristics and biases for policy and law. This review-essay focuses on certain aspects of "Heuristics and Biases: The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment", edited by Thomas Gilovich, Dale Griffin, and Daniel Kahneman. An understanding of heuristics and biases casts light on many issues in law, involving jury awards, risk regulation, and political economy in general. Some attention is given to the possibility of "moral heuristics" - rules of thumb, for purposes of morality, that generally work well but that also systematically misfire.

Keywords: emotions and affect; bias; "Heuristics and Biases: The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment," by Thomas Gilovich, Dale Griffin, Daniel Kahneman; jury awards; risk regulation

Suggested Citation

Sunstein, Cass R., Hazardous Heuristics (October 2002). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=344620 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.344620

Cass R. Sunstein (Contact Author)

Harvard Law School ( email )

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Cambridge, MA 02138
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617-496-2291 (Phone)

Harvard University - Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) ( email )

79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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