The cognitive shortcut where individuals assess the likelihood of an event by judging how similar it is to a prototype they hold in their minds. This assessment relies on matching characteristics rather than considering base rates or probabilities. For example, if someone is described as quiet, enjoys reading, and is good at mathematics, individuals might assume this person is a librarian rather than a salesperson, even though there are statistically far more salespeople than librarians.
This mental strategy plays a significant role in judgment and decision-making, though it often leads to systematic errors. Understanding this cognitive bias is important in fields such as law, medicine, and finance, where objective assessments are crucial. This shortcut was initially investigated by Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman as part of their broader work on heuristics and biases, revolutionizing the understanding of human rationality.
