Availability heuristic
A mental shortcut where we judge how common or likely something is by how easily examples come to mind. Recent, vivid, or emotional events feel more frequent than they really are.
In everyday life
After seeing news coverage of a plane crash, a traveler decides to drive a long distance instead of flying, even though driving is more dangerous per mile.
A neighbor tells you a dramatic story about their house being broken into, and you now believe break-ins on your street are common, though you've never looked at any numbers.
Why your mind does this
We take in far more than we can handle, so the brain uses what is already active in memory as a filter. Things we met recently, often, or with strong feeling are likely to matter again, so pushing them forward saves time and effort.
How to spot it
Ask yourself: am I judging how often this happens by a real count, or by how quickly a story comes to mind?
How to counter it
Look up the actual rate or frequency before acting on a feeling that something is common or rare.