PSYC 2501 Lecture Notes - Lecture 29: Psych
26 Apr 2018
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Department
Course
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Knowledge Categorization
Final exam
Psych 2501
• Exemplar approach to categorization
▪ Like the prototype approach, involves determining whether an
object is similar to a standard object
▪ But the standard involves many examples (or exemplars) that are
actual members of the category
▪ Categories are represented by multiple examples
• Examples are actual category members (not abstract averages)
• To categorize, compare the new item to stored examples
▪ Can explain typicality effects just like the prototype approach, and it
can account for being able to categorize an object that is atypical
▪ Can also deal with variable categories like fruit or games
▪ Advantages of exemplars
• Exemplars can explain how we categorize atypical objects
(emus) and objects in variable categories (games)
▪ Advantages of prototypes
• Prototypes more readily explain how we can quickly and
efficiently categorize objects we've never seen before
• So which one do we use to categorize: exemplars or prototypes?
▪ Probably both depending on the situation, how familiar the
category is, how big the category is, if it's an exception to the
category, how variable the category, etc.
▪ When we initially learn about a category, we probably use
prototypes and later use exemplars when we become familiar with
the category
• Early in learning we are poor at categorizing exceptions like
"penguin" but later on we get better as we have more and
more exemplars
• Is there a psychologically privileged level of categories?
▪ Categories can be organized into levels or hierarchies
• Global level
• Animal
• Basic level
• Fish
• Specific level
• Trout
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