Most of the time, my decision is satisfactory for a short period before the bad effects take place. It's not the most optimal decision, but efficient nonetheless. This is my example of a heuristic. It is the process of which a person makes choices in a quick but efficient manner, regardless of long-term effects. Usually the best decision is one made using long and cautious planning. This method is impractical. The heuristic technique speeds up the process of making choices, allowing people to continue with their daily lives without having to stop and think about what they are going to do next.
While this may seem like the way to go, often this way of thinking leads to error and bias. Just because I choose to eat ramen noodles for lunch yesterday and didn't have any bad consequences, doesn't mean that if I had them today, there won't be bad consequences. I should not rely on this choice over and over again. Heuristics can also lead to stereotyping. People not only create mental shortcuts for their actions but also for remembering other people and their characteristics. Because of this, they tend to forget details and develop categories based on these characteristics which can create stereotypes that do not necessarily accurately describe that person. Some advertisements, even today, feed off of this notion (seen below in Details magazine).
