Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements is true of cognitive psychologists?
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1. Introduction to Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Multiple Choice
In cognitive psychology, in which of the following ways are exemplars and prototypes different?
A
Exemplars represent the most typical member of a category, while prototypes represent all possible members.
B
Prototypes are used only for unfamiliar categories, while exemplars are used for familiar ones.
C
Exemplars are always more accurate than prototypes in categorization tasks.
D
Exemplars are specific instances stored in memory, while prototypes are abstract averages of a category.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the concept of 'exemplars' in cognitive psychology. Exemplars are specific, individual instances or examples of a category that are stored in memory. For example, when thinking of the category 'dog,' an exemplar might be your own pet dog or a particular dog you have seen before.
Step 2: Understand the concept of 'prototypes.' Prototypes are abstract, generalized representations of a category, often formed by averaging the common features of all members of that category. For example, the prototype of 'dog' would be a mental image that captures the most typical features of dogs in general, not any one specific dog.
Step 3: Compare the two concepts by focusing on their level of specificity. Exemplars are concrete and specific, while prototypes are abstract and generalized.
Step 4: Recognize that exemplars rely on memory of actual category members, whereas prototypes are constructed as an average or idealized representation that may not correspond to any real instance.
Step 5: Conclude that the key difference is that exemplars are specific instances stored in memory, while prototypes are abstract averages of a category, which helps explain how people categorize new stimuli based on either specific examples or generalized concepts.
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