<p>You are talking about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype_theory" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Prototype Theory</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>... any given concept in any given language has a real world example
that best represents this concept. For example: when asked to give an
example of the concept furniture, a couch is more frequently cited
than, say, a wardrobe.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Specifically, the &quot;graded categorization&quot; (degree) property of prototypes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For example, robins were seen as being &quot;birdier&quot; than ostriches ...</p>
</blockquote>
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<p>This contrasts with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exemplar_theory" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Exemplar Theory</a>, which proposes that categories are based on all examples rather than one or a few:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For example, the model proposes that people create the “bird” category
by maintaining in their memory a collection of all the birds they have
experienced: sparrows, robins, ostriches, penguins, etc. If a new
stimulus is similar enough to some of these stored bird examples, the
person categorizes the stimulus in the “bird” category.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Other theories on categorization (or how a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Concept</a> is structured in the mind) include <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essentialism" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Essentialism</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept#Theory-theory" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Theory-theory</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_inference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bayesian Inference</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2016-07-28T17:19:58.113Z
2023-11-26T04:33:26.817Z
2023-11-26T04:33:26.817Z
Arnon Weinberg
<p>I learned about this but forget its name. The idea is that when people hear a word or think of a concept they tend to come up with certain examples that fit the idea more than others. For example, if people think of birds, they tend to think of sparrows or seagulls, not penguins, even though penguins fit the definition of bird perfectly. If people are told to imagine a chair, they tend to think of one with 4 legs, probably made of wood, not something like a movie theater chair. What's the name for this?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T09:36:22.047Z
I'm not certain if this is what your taking about, but Familiarity heuristics is similar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familiarity_heuristic
Snarky Cat
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T13:40:47.457Z
Availability bias I believe
Robin Kramer-ten Have
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-29T20:00:50.697Z
"What is the capacity for abstract thought?" is an interesting question indeed. Not all humans have it actually...to form in one's mind an idea that has no semblance of anything. Perhaps an interesting line of inquiry is "why do we see images when we dream?" I've never heard of anyone dreaming "in the abstract" (meaning of squares and circles.) Maybe some do though?
Doctor Zhivago
<terminology>
What's the term in psychology for the way people think of concepts using examples?
Celeritas
# What's the term in psychology for the way people think of concepts using examples?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-07-28)

I learned about this but forget its name. The idea is that when people hear a word or think of a concept they tend to come up with certain examples that fit the idea more than others. For example, if people think of birds, they tend to think of sparrows or seagulls, not penguins, even though penguins fit the definition of bird perfectly. If people are told to imagine a chair, they tend to think of one with 4 legs, probably made of wood, not something like a movie theater chair. What's the name for this?

**Tags:** terminology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm not certain if this is what your taking about, but Familiarity heuristics is similar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familiarity_heuristic  
> **username_2**: Availability bias I believe  
> **username_3**: "What is the capacity for abstract thought?" is an interesting question indeed. Not all humans have it actually...to form in one's mind an idea that has no semblance of anything. Perhaps an interesting line of inquiry is "why do we see images when we dream?" I've never heard of anyone dreaming "in the abstract" (meaning of squares and circles.) Maybe some do though?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-07-28. Score: 5

You are talking about [Prototype Theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prototype_theory):

> ... any given concept in any given language has a real world example
> that best represents this concept. For example: when asked to give an
> example of the concept furniture, a couch is more frequently cited
> than, say, a wardrobe.

Specifically, the "graded categorization" (degree) property of prototypes:

> For example, robins were seen as being "birdier" than ostriches ...

|  |
| --- |
| [enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/NYZnY.png) |

This contrasts with [Exemplar Theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exemplar_theory), which proposes that categories are based on all examples rather than one or a few:

> For example, the model proposes that people create the “bird” category
> by maintaining in their memory a collection of all the birds they have
> experienced: sparrows, robins, ostriches, penguins, etc. If a new
> stimulus is similar enough to some of these stored bird examples, the
> person categorizes the stimulus in the “bird” category.

Other theories on categorization (or how a [Concept](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept) is structured in the mind) include [Essentialism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essentialism), [Theory-theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept#Theory-theory), and [Bayesian Inference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_inference).


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