Use of the Representativeness Heuristic Can Get People into Trouble

question 166

Essay

Use of the representativeness heuristic can get people into trouble when they use biased samples to decide just what the typical case is or what a reasonable starting point is. Compare how scientists and nonscientists go about generating samples to make judgments and inferences.

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Definitions:

Correlations

Correlations refer to statistical measures that describe the extent to which two variables change together, indicating the strength and direction of their relationship.

Types of Relationships

Various forms of connections or associations between individuals, such as familial, romantic, platonic, or professional.

Test Administration Error

Mistakes or inconsistencies that occur during the administration of a test, potentially affecting the validity and reliability of the test results.

Test Taker Variables

Factors related to the individual taking a test that can influence their performance, such as anxiety, motivation, and prior knowledge.