graded A+
Prototypes vs. Exemplars - correct answer ✔✔Prototype: General and often abstract, more
economical and quicker
Exemplars: Specific and concrete, more precise and informative
Both can be modified by context
Prototype theory vs. Exemplar theory - correct answer ✔✔Both: Categorize objects by
comparing them to a mentally represented "standard"
Prototype: Standard is an average representing the entire category (a prototype)
Exemplar: Standard is provided by whatever example of the category comes to mind
Prototype - correct answer ✔✔Comparing to the "average" or "ideal" example of a category
(which is an average of the various category members you've encountered; benchmark for
conceptual knowledge)
Ex.
Category: Bird
Prototype: Robin (because it has most of the features we associate with birds (wings, beak,
feathers, flying)
Exemplar - correct answer ✔✔Draws on specific example within a category that you have
encountered
Instead of comparing new items to an "average" (prototype), you compare them to multiple
specific instances (exemplars) you've experienced
, Ex. After seeing a new bird → think of specific birds you've seen before (cardinal/hawk) as
points of comparison
Prototype theory - correct answer ✔✔This theory suggests that we categorize new items based
on how similar they are to an "ideal" or "average" example (prototype) of a category
Prototypes are economical, meaning that they are quick to use in categorization
Exemplar theory - correct answer ✔✔This theory suggests that we categorize based on
similarity to known examples or instances in memory rather than an "average"
This can be more precise and flexible than prototype-based categorization because it allows for
specific details from multiple exams to be included
Tuning behavior - correct answer ✔✔The exemplars and prototypes change with context
Proves that prototypes and exemplar usage is individual specific
(Ex. Gift at 3 levels. 1) generic 2) for a 4-year old 3) for a 4-year old who broke her arm playing
soccer)
Resemblance - correct answer ✔✔How much a specific item shares characteristics with other
items in a category (higher resemblance means the item has more features typical of the
category; lower resemblance means it shares fewer)
Relies on knowledge