a tendency to select wrong answers because tgey match pre ecisting mental categories or prototype is called

Answer: Representative heuristic

Explanation:

Representative heuristic is a short cut we use when we don't have enough facts to make a decision or judgement as a result we use the available information to make conclusion or decision.

For example we know how doctors look like and what they wear on daily basis so if we were to see someone wearing like that we will make a conclusion that they are doctors eventhough we don't have enough information.

We associate what we know with what we don't know.