In cognitive psychology, what is the representative heuristic?

• A. A mental shortcut where people judge the likelihood of an event based on how closely it matches their prototype of that event.
• B. A process of making decisions by weighing all possible outcomes and their probabilities.
• C. A strategy where people estimate the frequency of an event based on how easily examples come to mind.
• D. A tendency to stick with initial beliefs even after receiving new information that contradicts those beliefs.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that the representative heuristic is a concept in cognitive psychology related to how people make judgments and decisions.
2. Step 2: Recognize that heuristics are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that simplify decision-making processes.
3. Step 3: Identify that the representative heuristic specifically involves judging the probability or likelihood of an event by comparing it to an existing prototype or stereotype in one's mind.
4. Step 4: Note that this heuristic leads people to assess similarity rather than using statistical reasoning or actual probabilities.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the representative heuristic is best described as a mental shortcut where people judge the likelihood of an event based on how closely it matches their prototype of that event.