Editing Recognition heuristic (section)

== <span id="less-is-more effect"></span>Less-is-more effect ==
{{distinguish|less-is-better effect}}
If α > β, and α, β are independent of n, then a less-is-more effect will be observed. Here, β is the knowledge validity, measured as C/(C+W) for all pairs in which both alternatives are recognized, and n is the number of alternatives an individual recognizes. A less-is-more effect means that the function between accuracy and n is inversely U-shaped rather than monotonically increasing. Some studies reported less-is-more effects empirically among two, three, or four alternatives<ref name="Gigerenzer 2002"/><ref name="Gigerenzer 1999"/><ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Frosch C, Beaman CP, McCloy R|year=2007|title=A little learning is a dangerous thing: an experimental demonstration of ignorance-driven inference|journal=Q. J. Exp. Psychol.|volume=60|issue=10|pages=1329–36|pmid=17853241|doi=10.1080/17470210701507949|s2cid=31610630}}</ref> and in group decisions<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Reimer T, Katsikopoulos K|year=2004|title=The use of recognition in group decision-making|journal=Cogn. Sci.|volume=28|issue=6|pages=1009–1029|doi=10.1207/s15516709cog2806_6|doi-access=free}}</ref>), whereas others failed to do so,<ref name="Pachur" /><ref name ="Pohl"/> possibly because the effect is predicted to be small (see Katsikopoulos<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Katsikopoulos KV, Schooler LJ, Hertwig R|year=2010|title=The robust beauty of ordinary information|journal=Psychol. Rev.|volume=117|issue=4|pages=1259–66|url=http://library.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/ft/kk/KK_Robust_2010.pdf|doi=10.1037/a0020418|pmid=20822293|hdl=11858/00-001M-0000-0024-F605-0|hdl-access=free|access-date=2023-02-27|archive-date=2023-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130124240/http://library.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/ft/kk/KK_Robust_2010.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>).

Smithson explored the "less-is-more effect" (LIME) with the recognition heuristic and challenges some of the original assumptions. The LIME occurs when a "recognition-dependent agent has a greater probability of choosing the better item than a more knowledgeable agent who recognizes more items." A mathematical model is used in describing the LIME and Smithson’s study used it and attempted to modify it. The study was meant to mathematically provide an understanding of when the LIME occurs and explain the implications of the results. The main implication is "that the advantage of the recognition cue depends not only on the cue validities, but also on the order in which items are learned".<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Smithson | first1 = M. | year = 2010 | title = When less is more in the recognition heuristic | url = http://journal.sjdm.org/10/rh3/rh3.pdf | journal = Judgment and Decision Making | volume = 5 | issue = 4 | pages = 230–243 | doi = 10.1017/S193029750000348X | access-date = 2023-02-27 | archive-date = 2021-11-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211128033124/http://journal.sjdm.org/10/rh3/rh3.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref>