Attribute substitution is a psychological process that explains why individuals might opt for a more easily evaluated heuristic attribute instead of a target attribute that is more complex to assess. This often occurs in the automatic, intuitive judgment system rather than the reflective system, leading people to answer related but different questions without being aware of the substitution. This bias manifests in various cognitive errors and influences poor judgments, as individuals may not recognize their biases even when alerted to them.
For instance, in a study led by Daniel Kahneman, Americans were offered different insurance policies, with one group paying more for protection against death from terrorist attacks, despite another policy covering all death types, including terrorism. This discrepancy is attributed to the substitution of the heuristic fear of terrorism for a rational assessment of overall travel risk.
To counter this bias, individuals should practice reflective thinking, critically assessing the information before making judgments and consciously seeking to evaluate all relevant attributes.