A Good Mind

The representativeness heuristic is a cognitive bias that involves judging the likelihood of an event based on how well it matches a particular prototype or stereotype. This heuristic involves making judgements based on similarity, rather than on statistical probability or other objective factors.

For example, if someone is asked to guess the profession of a person based on their appearance, they may use the representativeness heuristic by assuming that the person is a lawyer because they wear a suit and look serious, rather than considering other factors that may influence their profession.

While the representativeness heuristic can be a useful mental shortcut in some situations, it can also lead to errors in judgement and decision-making. This bias can cause individuals to overlook important information or rely too heavily on stereotypes or prototypes, leading to inaccurate predictions and judgements.

To overcome the representativeness heuristic, it is important to consider other factors and information when making judgements and decisions. This can include seeking out additional information or taking a more analytical approach to evaluating probabilities and risks.