Schwarz, Bless, Strack, Klumpp, and Simons (1990) examine the role of ease of retrieval in shaping self-assessments, challenging the traditional view that the availability heuristic relies solely on the ease with which instances come to mind. Their study shows that self-assessments are influenced not only by the content of recalled information but also by the subjective experience of ease or difficulty in recalling it. In Experiment 1, participants who recalled 12 examples of assertive or unassertive behaviors rated themselves as less assertive or unassertive than those who recalled fewer examples, suggesting that the ease of recall qualified the implications of the recalled content. This effect was eliminated when the informational value of the ease of recall was discredited through a misattribution manipulation. In Experiment 2, the perceived diagnosticity of the ease of recall was manipulated, but it did not significantly affect self-assessments. However, in Experiment 3, misattribution of the ease of recall to the impact of music led to a reversal in self-assessments, indicating that when the subjective experience of ease was discredited, participants relied more on the content of their recall. These findings suggest that people use both the content of their recall and their subjective experience of ease or difficulty in making judgments. The study highlights the importance of considering the subjective experience of retrieval in understanding the availability heuristic and the broader informational functions of subjective experiences. The results indicate that difficulty in recall may reduce judgments of frequency, probability, or typicality, while ease of recall may increase them. The study also emphasizes the need to consider the informational value of subjective experiences in social cognition research.Schwarz, Bless, Strack, Klumpp, and Simons (1990) examine the role of ease of retrieval in shaping self-assessments, challenging the traditional view that the availability heuristic relies solely on the ease with which instances come to mind. Their study shows that self-assessments are influenced not only by the content of recalled information but also by the subjective experience of ease or difficulty in recalling it. In Experiment 1, participants who recalled 12 examples of assertive or unassertive behaviors rated themselves as less assertive or unassertive than those who recalled fewer examples, suggesting that the ease of recall qualified the implications of the recalled content. This effect was eliminated when the informational value of the ease of recall was discredited through a misattribution manipulation. In Experiment 2, the perceived diagnosticity of the ease of recall was manipulated, but it did not significantly affect self-assessments. However, in Experiment 3, misattribution of the ease of recall to the impact of music led to a reversal in self-assessments, indicating that when the subjective experience of ease was discredited, participants relied more on the content of their recall. These findings suggest that people use both the content of their recall and their subjective experience of ease or difficulty in making judgments. The study highlights the importance of considering the subjective experience of retrieval in understanding the availability heuristic and the broader informational functions of subjective experiences. The results indicate that difficulty in recall may reduce judgments of frequency, probability, or typicality, while ease of recall may increase them. The study also emphasizes the need to consider the informational value of subjective experiences in social cognition research.