PSYC 213 Lecture Notes - Lecture 28: Central Tendency, Prototype Theory
3 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
The classical view concepts are mentally represented as definitions. Something is a member of a category if it meets the definition but definitions do not always work well for defining categories think of the difficulty in defining intelligence by a list of rules. Making the case that some objects are better examples of a category than others. Maybe there are not defining features, but typical features. Members of a category are organized around characteristic properties and some members may have more characteristics than others. This allows for fuzzy boundaries where certain non-member objects may have nearly as many properties as members: whales/fish. Looks at similarity to the prototype (what level you are at depends on the level and expertise) Working among experts you use something specific but when you are around those who are not experts, you use a more general category reflects the central tendency of the category need not correspond to an actual instance.
