What is urgency bias?

Urgency bias makes people prioritize immediate action over careful evaluation when under time pressure. Phishing exploits this by creating artificial deadlines: "Respond within 24 hours or lose access."

Psychological mechanism: stress from perceived urgency shifts brain processing toward fast, automatic responses rather than careful analysis. This bypasses skepticism that would otherwise catch red flags.

Defense: recognize urgency as a manipulation signal. Legitimate organizations rarely require instant action for account issues. When feeling rushed, pause deliberately and verify through independent channels.