:: COMPARE ::
The short answer
Near enough the same thing in everyday use, but the distinction is worth keeping. The heuristic is the shortcut itself, which is often a good one. The bias is the systematic error it produces when memorability and frequency don't line up.
Side by side
| Aspect | The heuristic | The bias |
|---|---|---|
| Is | A shortcut | Its failure mode |
| Usually | Works | Misleads |
| Triggered by | Ease of recall | Vividness ≠ frequency |
| Verdict | Adaptive | Costly |
What each one means
The availability heuristic is judging how likely or common something is by how easily examples come to mind — which makes vivid, recent and heavily reported events feel far more frequent than they are.
Full definition of Availability Heuristic →The contrast above sets out how The bias differs from Availability Heuristic on the points that actually matter.