Why do we jump into quick conclusion? Such that a guy carrying a package in the subway is carrying a bomb?

Question

Or may be when we see 2 guys holding hands on the street, they are gay?

Based on what do we usually jump into quick conclusion?

Answer 1

Wouldn't it be better to be cautious than to assume he's not carrying a bomb and kill people?

Answer 2

as for the bomb: it's a safety issue. No matter what you do, you are always looking out for your own safety and how to get out of a bad situation quickly. As the world gets more and more dangerous, there are more things to look out for. It's not like there's never been a bomb on a subway before, but the likelyhood that this time it actually is is slim. It's just being aware of your surroundings.

as for the guys: you are more that likely not going to hold hands with your best friend (if you are a guy) in public, or at all for that matter. That's just part of the masculine role in our society. You don't show strong affection/emotion, espeically to other men in public. It's just what has been ingrained in all of us since birth. Is it right? No. Is that just the way it is? Yes.

Answer 3

We generally live in the past, if there was a bomb blast a few weeks ago, all the TV channels repeat the same for a couple of days, so these thought keep coming about the bomb.
Now if anybody throws a pillow on u and say bomb, u will get up and run or throw the pillow out of the window.

We are unable to think freshly again and again, we sink to the past very fast.

Answer 4

Experience. We never hear about someone carrying a regular 'ol package in a subway. However, we always hear about him if that package happens to be a bomb. have you ever seen two straight guys holding hands? It's all what we've experienced and, more importantly, what we remember experiencing (we probably don't remember something as mundane as a guy with a package full of books).

Answer 5

Usually when two men hold hands they are gay. or one needs the assistance of the other.
We hear about bombings all the time, so it's natural for your mind to grasp that idea.
Your mind is working just as it should.
Although that doesn't mean that first conclusions are always right, but to reason things out, you have to start somewhere.

Answer 6

As to the bomb: cultivated fear. Ask your government.

The gay guys: cultivated laziness. Its socially acceptable to jump to conclusions and usually the rash conclusion is accepted also because who can be bothered to actually think about anything too deeply? :P

In my opinion, of course.

Answer 7

for the first, i almost never jump to that conclusion.

for the 2nd, in western society, i would say that is a good assumption. if i were in asia, i would say not necessarily.

what do we base it on? precedent, society, mores, past experience, likelihood, stereotypes, etc.

Answer 8

Our brains trust what we see.

Guys don't usually hold hands....so when we see two guys holding hands we assume they're gay.....and usually in that case they are.

Answer 9

Consider the theory of conditioned reflex as shown by pavlov and his dogs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Pavlov

Answer 10

hey bloody RP student. the facis know students are using Yahoo Answers to find solutions. yup. you better be careful. i'm not kidding. my faci just told us. so ya. dun get us students into trouble you brainless twit.