, Columnist
Donald Trump Is Amazing. Here’s the Science to Prove It.
The “confidence heuristic” explains why the president’s supporters still find him credible.
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This column is really good. Actually it’s amazing. In less than 650 words, it will explain the success of President Donald Trump -- and also show how to beat him.
Behavioral scientists like to emphasize the role of heuristics, or mental shortcuts, in our thinking. Lacking statistical knowledge, we use rules of thumb. In deciding whether a product or activity is risky, people tend to ask: Do I know about situations in which someone actually got hurt? That’s the “availability heuristic” in action.