The introduction reads as follows; Concepts are used to organize information in a manner that helps us understand things even when we are encountering them for the first time. Formal concepts, like circle, allow us to categorize objects and ideas in a very precise way— something either meets the criteria to be included in that category, or it doesn’t. Natural concepts develop as a result of our everyday encounters, and vary according to our culture and individual experiences. We tend to use prototypes, ideal representations with features we associate most with a category, to identify natural concepts.
At the upper right are two panels. The first is labeled Formal concept; Defined by rigid, precise rules. The illustration shows a circle with an arrow pointing from the center to the edge of the circle. The callout reads, A circle is a two-dimensional shape in which all points are the same distance from its center.
The second panel is labeled, Natural concept; Defined by general characteristics established through everyday encounters. The illustration shows a sofa, with a caption reading, A couch is a large piece of furniture used for sitting.
The center of the illustration shows three bands, with a callout leading to the headings reading, Concepts can be organized into hierarchies. The bands and descriptions follow;
Top row – furniture, labeled SUPERORDINATE LEVEL.
Middle row – two labels reading couch and bed, labeled MIDLEVEL, BASIC.
Bottom row – three arrows extend downward from the couch label to three types of couches. Three arrows extend downward from the bed label to three types of beds. A callout to one of the beds reads, Did you think of this? Maybe not. But if you’re from India, the traditional charpai may be your prototype—the first image that comes to mind when someone says bed. What comes to mind when you think of the concept fruit? Researchers studying the development of categories organized a group of items from the most prototypical to the least prototypical, Rosch & Mervis, 1975. How long would it take you to think of an olive?
At the bottom of the graphic are pictures of different types of fruit. From left to right the images include;
Orange, apple, banana, strawberry, pineapple, lemon, date, coconut, tomato, and olive.
A callout to the orange reads, most prototypical. A callout to the olive reads, least prototypical.