Final answer:
The representativeness heuristic is a cognitive shortcut where people judge the probability of an event by how similar it is to their prototype of that event, leading to possible misjudgments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The representativeness heuristic is a form of cognitive shortcut that occurs when we judge the likelihood of an event by how much it resembles our prototype of a similar occurrence. This can lead to errors in judgment as this heuristic can cause us to ignore other relevant information and overestimate the probability of certain events based on how representative or typical the event appears to be.
For example, if you meet someone who is short, slim, and loves reading poetry, you might immediately assume they are a professor of literature, simply because these traits fit the stereotype, or prototype, of what we think a literature professor might be like, rather than considering other possibilities or evidence.
Overall, the representativeness heuristic is a problem-solving strategy that can simplify complex judgments but can also lead to stereotyping and misjudgment.