Availability bias in appraisal tends to arise from relying on information that is:

• A. Most recently published
• B. Verified by third parties
• C. Readily recalled
• D. Most accurate

Answer: (C)

Availability bias happens when judgments are shaped by information that is easiest to recall from memory. In appraisal, this means you might give more weight to data that readily comes to mind—like a few recent sales or a memorable price spike—while overlooking other relevant data that’s less memorable but still important. That’s why information that is readily recalled is the best descriptor: memory accessibility drives the bias, not the overall quality or completeness of the data. The idea isn’t about how recently something was published, whether it was verified by others, or whether it’s the most accurate possible data; it’s about what you can pull from memory most easily. To guard against this, use systematic data collection, checklists, and multiple sources so decisions aren’t based on what’s easiest to remember.