PSY 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Representativeness Heuristic

• School: University of Oregon
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 201
• Professor: Paul Dassonville

Document Summary

Generally accurate shortcuts used to reduce the amount of thought necessary to make a decision. Require fewer cognitive resources than an optimal strategy allowing us to focus attention on other things. Faster than an optimal strategy, allowing us to answer more quickly. Accurate enough for most purposes, but occasionally prone to errors and biases under certain circumstances. Cognitive structures that help us perceive, organize, process and use information. Contain information on the objects, events, and rules of behavior that are relevant within different situations. A script is a schema that guides a sequence of behaviors. Provide more context that allows us to process information more easily and respond more quickly. Inaccuracies in one"s schemas, or application of schemas too broadly, can lead to. Negative stereotypes based on gender, race, etc. Normative decision theories: assume that people make rational decisions that maximize gain. Descriptive decision theories: try to account for actual behavior. Suggest that people are not always rational in decisions.