Prototype

When you think of the concept bird, do you mentally list the features that birds have? Probably not. In addition to rules and features, we use prototypes, or ideal models, to identify concepts (Burnett et al., 2005; Rosch, 1977). A robin, for example, is a prototypical bird; an ostrich is not. In other words, some items are better examples of a concept than others are (Smith, Redford, & Haas, 2008).

Which of the drawings in • Figure 8.3 best represents a cup? At some point, as a cup grows taller or wider, it becomes a vase or a bowl. How do we know when the line is crossed? Probably, we mentally compare objects to an “ideal” cup, like number 5. That’s why it’s hard to identify concepts when we can’t come up with relevant prototypes.

Robin

Ostrich