The take-the-first heuristic means that when you need to make a decision, you choose the first option that comes to mind (Raab, 2019). This is usually based on past experience, and you only consider two or three options before making a choice. According to Hepler and Feltz (2011), between 60% and 90% of athletes’ decisions in basketball, Australian football, and team handball meet the description of take-the-first. Their study showed that athletes tend to use this method because it feels right and is intuitive. Additionally, Raab and Johnson (2007) found that athletes’ eye movements reflect the option generation process of this heuristic. People tend to use this method because it feels right, and other things like their mood or how much time they have can affect how many options they consider.
Hepler, T. J., & Feltz, D. (2011). Take the first heuristic, self- efficacy, and decision-making in sport. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 18, 154161.
Raab, M. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.
Raab, M., & Johnson, J. G. (2007). Expertise-based differences in search and option-generation strategies. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 13, 158170.
