Prototype and exemplar-based information in natural language categories

Two experiments are reported in which four dependent variables; typicality ratings, response times, category-naming frequencies, and exemplar-generati on frequencies of natural language concepts, were predicted by two sorts of prototype predictors and by all exemplar predictor related to Heit and Bar salou's (1996) instantiation principle. In the first experiment, the exempl ar predictor was compared to a prototype predictor calculated as in Hampton (1979). The four dependent variables were either predicted better by the e xemplar measure than by the prototype predictor or the predictive value was about equal. In the second experiment, a new prototype predictor was calcu lated based on Rosch and Mervis' (1975) classic family resemblance measure. The results showed that the exemplar predictor accounted better for the de pendent variables than Hampton's and Rosch and Mervis' prototype measures. The differences between the prototype measures were not significant. (C) 20 00 Academic Press.