Semantic Memory
This type of memory includes organized knowledge about the world, concepts, and language.
What is semantic memory?
The theory that people categorize objects by comparing them to the best example of a category.
What is the prototype approach?
The level of categorization most commonly used to identify objects, like “dog.”
What is the basic-level category?
A system where concepts are organized like a web of connected ideas.
What is a network model of semantic memory?
A mental representation of a category.
What is a concept?
The theory that people categorize objects by comparing them to many stored examples.
What is the exemplar approach?
A very general category such as “animal” or “furniture.”
What is a superordinate category?
A unit or concept in a network model.
What is a node?
A set of objects that belong together.
What is a category?
The tendency to judge typical examples of a category faster than less typical ones.
What is the typicality effect?
A very specific category such as “desk chair” or “collie.”
What is a subordinate category?
The process where activation spreads from one concept to related concepts.
What is spreading activation?
Logical interpretations or conclusions that go beyond the information given.
What are inferences?
When we respond faster to a word after seeing a related word.
What is semantic priming?
The phenomenon where basic-level names produce faster responses and stronger semantic priming.
What is the basic-level advantage?
The smallest unit of knowledge that can be true or false.
What is a proposition?