PSYCH 1X03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Trekking Pole, Prototype Theory, Deodorant
2 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
Each of these decisions were made more efficiently by your ability to quickly categorize incoming stimuli to that of young man, major assignment and harmless odour. Without the cognitive ability to categorize, every sensory experience would be unique. You would be unable to make connections to the past and be forced to make unique decisions on even the most routine actions. Psychologists have defined four basic functions of categorization: classification. Allows you to treat objects that appear differently as belong together. Red apple, green apple, yellow apple all classify as apples : understanding. If we categorized the scene in front of us as two people yelling, we immediately understand they are in a fight and do not need our opinion: predicting. By categorizing your current experience and comparing it to similar experiences in memory, you can make predictions about your current situation.
