Prototype Theory and the Typicality Effect

1. Prototype Theory and the Typicality Effect

2. Prototypes A mode of graded categorization, where some members of a category are more central than others Examples When asked to give an example of the concept furniture, chair is more likely cited than stool An apple is a prototypical fruit and a tomato is an atypical fruit.

3. Characteristics of Prototypes Prototypes are often supplied as better examples of a category Prototypes serve as reference points Prototypes receive more priming from category names and are judged more quickly Prototypes can substitute for a category name in a sentence Prototypes share a common attributes

4. Prototype Theory Eleanor Rosch (1970s) Natural categories Plants, animals, cars, food, toys and color Example: Bird Robin or penguin? Prototype theory was developed by cognitive psychologist Eleanor Rosch in the 1970s as a way of explaining how people categorize information. Rosch was especially interested in what she called natural categories�categories that occur in nature or that are a familiar part of our daily life. Natural categories include things like types of plants, animals, cars, foods, toys, and colors. According to Rosch, all members of a natural category are not created equal in the perceptual sense. Some are seen as more central or typical than others. For example, in the case of the category �Birds,� which is a better example of a bird, a robin or a penguin? The vast majority of people say �robin�! If you ask them why they said �robin,� they can give you lots of reasons why�that a robin flies, eats worms, constructs ordinary-looking nests, lives in trees, etc. Penguins do none of these things.As a result, robins seem more bird like than penguins. Robins are an example of a prototype�that is, a member of a category that is central or definitive. Prototypes provide the standard or exemplar by which other category members are measured. Less prototypical category members are assigned category membership either with greater hesitation or with qualifications. Prototype theory was developed by cognitive psychologist Eleanor Rosch in the 1970s as a way of explaining how people categorize information. Rosch was especially interested in what she called natural categories�categories that occur in nature or that are a familiar part of our daily life. Natural categories include things like types of plants, animals, cars, foods, toys, and colors. According to Rosch, all members of a natural category are not created equal in the perceptual sense. Some are seen as more central or typical than others. For example, in the case of the category �Birds,� which is a better example of a bird, a robin or a penguin? The vast majority of people say �robin�! If you ask them why they said �robin,� they can give you lots of reasons why�that a robin flies, eats worms, constructs ordinary-looking nests, lives in trees, etc. Penguins do none of these things.As a result, robins seem more bird like than penguins. Robins are an example of a prototype�that is, a member of a category that is central or definitive. Prototypes provide the standard or exemplar by which other category members are measured. Less prototypical category members are assigned category membership either with greater hesitation or with qualifications.

5. Typicality Effect The phenomenon in which humans are faster to respond to or identify items that are more typical of a given subordinate than atypical items

6. Typicality Effect Example A bird such as a robin is thought of as being more representative or prototypical of the category of birds than another type of bird, for example, the penguin We are faster at identifying a robin as a bird than a penguin Our typical idea of a bird is something that is small, sings and flies Therefore, a robin is a more typical bird than a penguin