[1] Much of exemplification theory is based on logic arguing that there are evolutionary advantages that stem from the ability to group events together.
[4] Individuals that employ the availability heuristic evaluate the frequency of events based on the quickness with which pertinent instances come to mind.
[7] Much of this research focuses on the manipulation of attitudes, subjective norms, and/or behavioral control with the message having a direct impact on receivers based on the information provided and the presentation of base-rates and exemplars.
Typically it is thought of as quantitative information about population events[14] or a general description of the number of things or people in the setting.
Prior investigations suggest that base-rates are perceived by decision makers as more reliable and can influence decisional confidence more than exemplars.
Exemplars are also said to play a role in perpetuating negative stereotypes, and in isolation are frequently found to be inefficient sources of information.
[13] Exemplification research demonstrates that individuals often base their assessment of social reality more strongly on attributes of the exemplars selected for inclusion in media reports than statistical representations of information.
This has been found problematic when the exemplar is atypical and chosen for its entertaining or sensational qualities, a common occurrence within news stories.