PSYB57H3 Chapter 8: CH.8 Cognition PSYB57.docx
Document Summary
Wittgenstein proposed that members of a category have a family resemblance to each other. Features that are common in the family, if we consider family members 2 or even 3 at a time, we can usually find some shared attributes. There are common features, but the identity of those common features depends on what subgroup of the family you"re considering hair color shared for these family members; eye shape shared by those family members; and so on. Definitions set the boundaries for a category. If it ha certain attributes then it is inside the boundaries and if it doesn"t have defining attributes then it"s outside the category. Prototype theory: best way to identify a category, to characterize a concept is to specify the center of the category, rather than the boundaries. Membership in a category depends on resemblance to the prototype, and resemblance is a matter of degree.
