This question is missing the options. I've found the complete question online. It is the following:
Before reading about a depressed individual, participants are told that the case is not at all typical. This instruction will:
a. prevent participants from using the representativeness heuristic.
b. encourage participants to use the representativeness heuristic.
c. not affect participants' spontaneous use of the representativeness heuristic.
d. influence participants' willingness to draw conclusions from a single case.
Answer:
This instruction will:
c. not affect participants' spontaneous use of the representativeness heuristic.
Explanation:
Heuristics can be described as simplistic rules we use to make a decision or a judgment. Representativeness heuristic is used when we judge how likely an event is to happen. It is a mental shortcut that allows us to make such judgment quickly. However, it can obviously mislead us, after all, something being representative does not mean it is likely.
In the case described in the question, students will still be able to use representativeness heuristic, even though they were told the case is not typical. The tendency to use this mental shortcut will not be affected. In the end, students are probably going to use the case they read about as a source or justification for likelihood.
