week 6 Chapter 9 Concepts

Question 1

Shareshevsky

Answer 1

Had a perfect memory, but could not recall deeper implications, and was distracted by recall. Therefore, found abstract thought very difficult.

Question 2

Family Resemblance

Answer 2

Members of a category share typical features. Proposed by Wittgenstein. Yet is possible that no one member has all the typical characteristics. This further understanding of concepts allows for “exceptions to the rule”.

Question 3

Definition of a Concept

Answer 3

The definition of a concept may be considered as setting the boundaries of what is included/excluded in a category. Yet whilst we can come up with a definition, it seems there are often going to be exceptions to it.

Question 4

Prototype Theory

Answer 4

Considers the “centre” or “most typical” of a category. A prototype is based on averages of what encountered, so each person may have a different idea on eg “dog prototype”.

Question 5

Graded Membership

Answer 5

Is more complex than “yes/no” to if something belongs to the type. Compares how close is to the protype, in a grading system.

Question 6

Prototype Notion Testing Tasks

Answer 6

used to verify that the prototype notion seems sound.

a) eg “is this a dog”? Longer answer typically given for examples further from the prototype.
b) asked to rate eg “level of dogginess” people are fairly consistent with rating those as more and those as less, typical.
c) Asked to eg list dog breeds, tend to list those closest to prototype first, and further ones, last.

Question 7

Basic level, Subordinate and Superordinate Classification

Answer 7

Basic level classification eg chair. Children usually learn basic labels first.
Superordinate classification eg furniture. Encompasses many basic levels, eg, chair, table, desk etc
Subordinate level classification eg office chair etc

Question 8

test yourself

Answer 8

333

Question 9

Exemplar

Answer 9

An exemplar is a specific example. Exemplar Based Reasoning is where use an exemplar to compare something against. Unlike a prototype, which is an average.

Question 10

Categorizing via Resemblance

Answer 10

Depending on situation, might use either an exemplar or a prototype to consider how to categorize what seeing.
Each concept may have many elements, and which focus on as important, depends on task.

Question 11

Typicality

Answer 11

The degree to which a particular case is typical for its type.

Question 12

Complexity of Similarity/Dissimilarity

Answer 12

11

Question 13

test yourself

Answer 13

337 and 343

Question 14

Inter-related concepts and inferences

Answer 14

Seems that understanding of one concept involves a whole network of beliefs, cross-linked to many other concepts. eg to understand counterfeit, also understand money, government, crime etc.
Inferences are based on theories eg by being able to categorize Milo as a dog, can therefore suspect (and likely be right) that he barks, chases cats and begs for treats, because can apply general knowledge.If also learn something new, eg Milo is at risk of Parvovirus, might infer (likely correctly) that other dogs also at risk.

Question 15

Different Profiles for Different Concepts

Answer 15

Most people have different concepts re how things come to be or endure etc dependent upon type eg artificial objects, geological forms, life forms etc. eg Children believe that with some modification, a toaster might be turned into a coffee pot, yet are able to recognise that one cannot turn a skunk into a raccoon.

Question 16

Concepts and the Brain

Answer 16

fMRI has shown different areas of the brain are active when thinking about different concepts eg tools, living creatures etc.
Furthermore, parts of the sensory and motor cortices are activated when considering certain concepts, eg motor cortex when thinking about kicking etc.
Thus conceptual knowledge may be closely connected to interactive knowledge of such objects etc.

Question 17

Grounded Cognition

Answer 17

Grounded Cognition (or Embodied Cognition)= the proposal that a body’s sensory and motor systems also play a part in the cognitive processes.

Question 18

Anomia

Answer 18

Anomia = the inability to name something. Some with brain damage may lose ability to name living things, yet be able to name non-living things etc or vv. May lose ability to name fruits and vegetables, yet still be able to name animals etc.

Question 19

The Memory System according to Collins & Quillian

Answer 19

This proposes a series of nodes with connections between. A branching tree of superordinate into basic and further into subordinate classifications etc. Informational knowledge relevant to each classification level, is connected to it.
ie knowledge connected to “animals’ level might be have hearts, eat food, breathe etc
Whereas knowledge connected to “cats” level might be have claws, purr etc.
By using Sentence Verification Tasks etc, one might test how many concept nodes one might need to “travel through”. ie expect longer times to verify a sentence for more nodes.

Question 20

What is a Proposition?

Answer 20

The smallest unit of knowledge which may be assessed as true/false.
eg. Children love candy
eg. Susan likes blue cars.
eg NOT PROPOSITION; cars
eg NOT PROPOSITION;candy.

Question 21

Propositional Network

Answer 21

The concept that maybe our concept nodes are linked by propositions, to others ie the nodes “dogs” and “meat” might be linked such that we have the proposition “dogs eat meat”.

Question 22

Distributed Processing

Answer 22

The idea that a concept is not merely a node, but is itself a whole pattern of activated nodes across a network. (ie many nodes make a concept).
One activated network pattern (concept), may trigger others).

Question 23

Connection Weights and Learning

Answer 23

Connection weight=the strength of activations amongst a pattern of nodes of activation. ie how rapidly/easily one concept causes activation of another.
Learning occurs via a process of adjustment eg the entire concept pattern which is “Wundt”, will, once know that he promoted “Introspection”, once activated, activate entire pattern of Introspection too.

Question 24

Parallel Distributed Processing

Answer 24

The notion that within distributed processing, we might have multiple concepts (activation patterns) being employed simultaneously. eg “macbook” and “computer”.
Parallel Distributed Processing is used in computers, where it is able to detect patterns in fata, recognise and generalise from them, and learn variations on a pattern.

Question 25

Stereotype

Answer 25

Whilst a Prototype is a summary of your experiences, a Stereotype is often acquired secondarily via social contexts etc. Stereotypes can be useful, but can also lead to prejudices and the damaging belief that all members of the group are alike.

Question 26

Outgroup Homogeneity Effect

Answer 26

Most people are convinced that within their own group, everyone is wonderfully unique, yet contrarily also believe that everyone in the “out” group is the same.

Question 27

test yourself

Answer 27

358