Concepts and Categorisations

Concepts

Mental representations that help us categorize and interpret information about the world.

Categorization

The process of grouping objects, events, or ideas based on shared characteristics or features.

Empiricist

A person who believes that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

Necessary conditions

Features that must be present for something to be considered a member of a category.

Sufficient conditions

A complete set of features that guarantees membership in a category.

Prototypical bird

The most typical or representative example of what a bird is, such as a robin.

Ad hoc concepts

Concepts created on the fly for specific situations, like 'things to save in a house fire'.

Basic level categories

Categories that people are quickest to identify and learn first, such as 'apple' instead of 'fruit'.

Network theory

A psychological model that describes concepts as interconnected nodes in a network.

Feature theory

A psychological theory that suggests we store concepts in memory as lists of defining features.

Embodiment theory

The theory that knowledge and understanding of concepts are grounded in our physical interactions with the world.

Action compatibility effect

A phenomenon where response times are faster when the required movement matches the action described in language.

Metaphorically understood concepts

Abstract concepts that are understood through their relationships to concrete experiences.

Prototype theory

A theory suggesting that concepts are formed around the best or most typical example of a category.

Concrete concepts

Concepts that refer to tangible objects or entities that can be sensed directly.

Abstract concepts

Concepts that cannot be directly observed or experienced, like love, justice, or truth.