Larry believes that if a coin is tossed six times, a sequence of HTHHTH (with H representing heads and T standing for tails) is more likely than a sequence of HHHHHH. Larry is using which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Larry is using the representative heuristic, which is a cognitive bias where an individual assumes that the outcomes of a random event will reflect a representative or typical pattern. In this case, Larry incorrectly believes that a mixed sequence of heads and tails (HTHHTH) is more likely than six heads in a row (HHHHHH), even though both sequences have an equal probability of occurring in a fair coin toss.

Larry Believes That If a Coin Is Tossed Six Times