The representativeness heuristic is one of our mental shortcuts we use to make judgments. One benefit is that it allows us to make decisions more quickly. A disadvantage is that it can lead to bias and contribute to prejudice and stereotypes..

Answer:

One real life example would involve a jury trial. The accused person may look like what society thinks criminals look like; they may be scruffy and seem angry and agitated. More members of the jury may automatically assume the accused is guilty just by how they perceive him/her. One advantage in this situation is that it may actually be efficient and offer a simple enough solution. Unfortunately, it may also lead to the assumption of guilt based solely on appearance. A better way to handle this scenario would be to base decisions only on the evidence submitted, evidence that is admissible, and warn about the potential for bias.