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Representativeness heuristic

Judging probability by resemblance to a prototype instead of using relevant statistics.

Published 04 August 2026Updated 04 August 2026

The representativeness heuristic treats a case that matches a familiar pattern or stereotype as especially likely. This can obscure base rates, sample size, and the fact that resemblance does not determine probability.

Sources

Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases

Science / 1974 / Paper

Classic heuristics and biases paper.