<p><strong>Short Answer:</strong></p>

<p>Yes it can. </p>

<p><strong>Long Answer:</strong></p>

<p>According to Wikipedia, </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A <em>heuristic</em> is “any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs a practical methodology not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goals.” Source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic</a>. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>This is a good general definition that seems to adequately capture the meaning behind "heuristic" as used in different fields. However, one must be careful to understand the specific use in a given context. </p>

<p>With regard to psychology, there seems to be some confusion because there are both intentional and unintentional heuristics.   Examples of unintentional ones are the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic" rel="nofollow">availability heuristic</a>. Some of the unintentional ones are more prominent and have received more attention and, as a result, I am not sure this distinction that there are "intentional" heuristics is always made. </p>

<p>However, according to Tversky and Kahneman (Nobel laureate in Economics), </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The term <em>judgmental heuristic</em> refers to a strategy ― whether deliberate or not ― that relies on a natural assessment to produce estimation or a prediction. One of the manifestations of a heuristic is the relative neglect of other considerations (Tversky and Kahneman, 294). </p>
  
  <p>Source: "Extensional Versus Intuitive Reasoning: The Conjunction Fallacy in Probability Judgment" by Tversky and Kahneman in <em>Psychological Review</em> Vol. 90 No. 4, 1983. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Note: the notion of a "judgmental heuristic" means simply a heuristic used in the mental faculty of "judgement," which I will not attempt to define. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-07T20:50:26.230Z
2015-08-07T20:50:26.230Z
Stan Shunpike
<p>In my cognitive psychology class, we discussed heuristics. An example of a heuristic is loss aversion. Thus, in this context, a heuristic seems to be a general rule of thumb for how people <em>behave</em>. </p>

<p>But I was under the impression a heuristic was "any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs a practical methodology not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goals" (source: Wikipedia). </p>

<p>As an example, let us consider a coat rack. One might suppose that putting my coat on a coat rack is a type of problem solving strategy because it allows me to always find my coat at that location. Thus, the problem being solved would be "How can I always know where my coat is." </p>

<p>Can someone clarify whether the term "heuristic" as used in psychology can be used to refer to an intentionally chosen strategy (as opposed to loss aversion which is just "instinctive")? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-08T06:35:54.443Z
Okay. I agree. How would you suggest I improve the post? I need replacement ideas.
Stan Shunpike
<cognitive-psychology>
Can someone clarify whether the term "heuristic" as used in psychology can be used to refer to an intentionally chosen strategy?
Stan Shunpike
# Can someone clarify whether the term "heuristic" as used in psychology can be used to refer to an intentionally chosen strategy?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-27)

In my cognitive psychology class, we discussed heuristics. An example of a heuristic is loss aversion. Thus, in this context, a heuristic seems to be a general rule of thumb for how people *behave*.

But I was under the impression a heuristic was "any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs a practical methodology not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goals" (source: Wikipedia).

As an example, let us consider a coat rack. One might suppose that putting my coat on a coat rack is a type of problem solving strategy because it allows me to always find my coat at that location. Thus, the problem being solved would be "How can I always know where my coat is."

Can someone clarify whether the term "heuristic" as used in psychology can be used to refer to an intentionally chosen strategy (as opposed to loss aversion which is just "instinctive")?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Okay. I agree. How would you suggest I improve the post? I need replacement ideas.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2015-08-07. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

**Short Answer:**

Yes it can.

**Long Answer:**

According to Wikipedia,

> A *heuristic* is “any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs a practical methodology not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goals.” Source: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic>.

This is a good general definition that seems to adequately capture the meaning behind "heuristic" as used in different fields. However, one must be careful to understand the specific use in a given context.

With regard to psychology, there seems to be some confusion because there are both intentional and unintentional heuristics. Examples of unintentional ones are the [availability heuristic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic). Some of the unintentional ones are more prominent and have received more attention and, as a result, I am not sure this distinction that there are "intentional" heuristics is always made.

However, according to Tversky and Kahneman (Nobel laureate in Economics),

> The term *judgmental heuristic* refers to a strategy ― whether deliberate or not ― that relies on a natural assessment to produce estimation or a prediction. One of the manifestations of a heuristic is the relative neglect of other considerations (Tversky and Kahneman, 294).
>
> Source: "Extensional Versus Intuitive Reasoning: The Conjunction Fallacy in Probability Judgment" by Tversky and Kahneman in *Psychological Review* Vol. 90 No. 4, 1983.

Note: the notion of a "judgmental heuristic" means simply a heuristic used in the mental faculty of "judgement," which I will not attempt to define.


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