Knowledge-Based Approach
An approach that emphasizes the importance of understanding the relations among features of a concept, rather than just the features themselves.
Casual Relations
The connections between features that can influence how concepts are categorized and understood.
Contextual Influence
The idea that the representation of a concept can change based on the context in which it is presented.
Ad Hoc Categories
Categories that are formed based on specific situations or needs, rather than being fixed or permanent.
Conceptual Hierarchies
A system of organizing concepts into three levels of generality:superordinate, basic, and subordinate.
Superordinate Level
The most general level in a conceptual hierarchy, such as "furniture."
Basic Level
An intermediate level in a conceptual hierarchy, such as "chair" or "lamp," which has a balance of informativeness and economy.
Subordinate Level
The most specific level in a conceptual hierarchy, such as "kitchen chair."
Basic Level Properties
Characteristics of basic level concepts, including faster recognition and spontaneous naming.
Familiarity in Categorization
The idea that familiarity with a category can influence the level of categorization used (basic vs. subordinate).
Semantic Network
A model that represents concepts and their relationships through links of varying lengths based on relatedness.
Spreading Activation
The process by which activation spreads from an activated node to related concepts, making them more accessible.
Schemas
Frameworks of related propositions that help organize knowledge about the world, events, or people.
Event Indexing Model
A model that explains how propositions are linked based on various dimensions such as time and space.
Consistency Bias
The tendency to exaggerate the consistency between our feelings and beliefs over time.
Schema-Based Approach
An approach to memory that emphasizes the role of schemata in organizing and reconstructing memories.
Schema-Driven Memory Errors
Errors that occur when individuals recall more schema-consistent objects than were actually present in a situation.
Cognitive Overload Prevention
The function of schemas in helping to manage cognitive load by providing expectations and filling in missing information.
Stereotypes
Oversimplified generalizations about groups that can change over time and are influenced by context.
Semantic Dementia
A condition characterized by the loss of knowledge about the meaning of concepts and words, distinct from Alzheimer's disease.