Abstract
Exemplar, prototype, and rule theory have organized much of the enormous literature on categorization. From this theoretical foundation have arisen the two primary debates in the literature—the prototype-exemplar debate and the single system-multiple systems debate. We review these theories and debates. Then, we examine the contribution that animal-cognition studies have made to them. Animals have been crucial behavioral ambassadors to the literature on categorization. They reveal the roots of human categorization, the basic assumptions of vertebrates entering category tasks, the surprising weakness of exemplar memory as a category-learning strategy. They show that a unitary exemplar theory of categorization is insufficient to explain human and animal categorization. They show that a multiple-systems theoretical account—encompassing exemplars, prototypes, and rules—will be required for a complete explanation. They show the value of a fitness perspective in understanding categorization, and the value of giving categorization an evolutionary depth and phylogenetic breadth. They raise important questions about the internal similarity structure of natural kinds and categories. They demonstrate strong continuities with humans in categorization, but discontinuities, too. Categorization’s great debates are resolving themselves, and to these resolutions animals have made crucial contributions.
Highlights
Categorization is a crucial ability for humans and nonhuman animals and a focus of research
The empirical data raise important natural-history questions about categorization. They may suggest the pathways that cognitive evolution did and did not take during the emergence of cognitive systems for categorization
We described three theoretical perspectives on categorization (Section 2)
Summary
Categorization is a crucial ability for humans and nonhuman animals (hereafter, animals) and a focus of research (e.g., humans [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]; animals [9,10,11,12,13,14]). Vervets have developed call signs that warn group members to behave appropriately at the sight of eagles. In a sense, these calls denote or “name” members of the category eagle. The debates are about how animals (and humans) might be equipped to categorize within the natural world From this follows empirical research that illuminates how animals are equipped for categorization and how they are not equipped. The empirical data raise important natural-history questions about categorization They may suggest the pathways that cognitive evolution did and did not take during the emergence of cognitive systems for categorization. Throughout, we will make it plain that animals have been profoundly important ambassadors to the study of categorization They have had an important role in the sea change occurring over 10 years within the categorization literature
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