Concepts and Categorization

Question 1

Why use Categories and Concepts?

Answer 1

Categorizing reduces the complexity of the environment

Concepts: mental representations that are useful for cognitive efficiency

Question 2

Logical Concepts

Answer 2

1: Conjunctive rule: ‘and’ both attributes must present
2. Disjunctive rule: ‘or’ either attribute must be present
3. Conditional rule: ‘if, then’ any object that doesn’t have first attribute is also relevant
4: Bi-conditional rule: ‘if 1, then 2’ ‘if 2, then 1’ both attributes must be present or absent
- artificial concepts

Question 3

Characteristics within a Category

Answer 3

• Family resemblance: shared attributes/overlap

- Typicality: the higher the family resemblance, the higher the typicality of the item in that concept

Question 4

Defining Attribute View (Frege, 1952)

Answer 4

Claims concepts can be defined by a set of defining attributes(assumes categories are clear & rigid)
Intensions: set of attributes that define what it is to be in the concept
Extensions: set of entities that are members of the concept

Question 5

Connectionist Approach

Answer 5

‘neuron-like’ units
Environmental stimulus > input units > hidden units > output units
How learning occurs:
-the network responds to the stimulus
-it provides the correct response
-then it modifies responding to match correct response
Slow learning process that creates a network capable of handling a wide range of inputs

Question 6

Semantic Networks (Collins & Quillan, 1969)

Answer 6

Model for how concepts (nodes) and properties are associated in the mind
Arousal activates node > activity spreads along all the connected links > concepts that receive activation are primed and more accessible from memory
(criticized for lack of falsifiability)

Question 7

Prototype Approach

Answer 7

Categorization occurs by finding objects that are the most typical of a concept: prototype item match
-Children learn these typical members first
-Problems with the typicality effect
Better for larger categories

Question 8

The Exemplar Approach

Answer 8

A concept is represented by exemplars who are already members
We categorize by comparing a new item to the stored ones (representation isn’t abstract)
-accounts for atypical cases - explains typicality effects
Better for smaller categories

Question 9

Natural Categories

Answer 9

1. Subordinate level: lowest level of abstraction, specific objects e.g. coffee table
2. Basic level: used almost exclusively in free-naming tasks - quickest to identify and children learn this level earliest
3. Super-ordinate level: highest level of abstraction, general categories e.g. furniture