Byron has been watching his new neighbour for a week. She drives a sporty car, carries a cell phone, and wears nothing but blue business suits. Byron decides his new neighbour must be a lawyer. What did Byron use to form an opinion about his new neighbour's occupation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Byron used the representativeness heuristic to form an opinion about his neighbour's occupation. He based his judgement on how closely she resembled his mental representation of a typical lawyer - someone who drives a sporty car, carries a cell phone and wears business suits. This heuristic often results in stereotyping and may lead to incorrect conclusions.

Byron Has Been Watching His New Neighbour for a Week