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Updated: Jul 24, 2026
14:38
Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning
Published on: November 2, 2012
Are there kinds of concepts?
D L Medin1, E B Lynch, K O Solomon
1Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA. medin@nwu.edu
Annual Review of Psychology
|February 7, 2001
Summary
This study explores different kinds of concepts beyond just objects. It proposes criteria for categorizing concepts based on their structure, process, and content for better understanding cognitive science.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Previous research on concepts primarily focused on noun-object concepts.
- Limited exploration into the diverse categories of concepts and their distinctions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate that useful distinctions can be made among various kinds of concepts, including non-object concepts.
- To propose criteria for categorizing concepts based on structure, process, and content.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent research on conceptual distinctions.
- Discussion of three types of criteria: structure, process, and content.
- Analysis of potential concept categories based on these criteria.
Main Results:
- Identified that concepts extend beyond objects, encompassing non-object types.
- Proposed a framework with structure, process, and content as key criteria for concept classification.
- Highlighted several potential concept categories aligning with the proposed criteria.
Conclusions:
- The categorization of concepts can be enhanced by considering non-object types.
- The proposed criteria offer a robust method for distinguishing between different kinds of concepts.
- Further research can build upon this framework to deepen the understanding of conceptual cognition.
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