Abstract
Exemplar theory is a theory of the representation and processing of categories in which stimuli are processed by comparing them to a set of previous experiences stored in memory. This chapter providers an introduction to exemplar theory as it has been applied in phonology. The use of exemplar concepts and theories in phonology emerged from theories and findings in two closely related components of linguistics, phonetics and morphology. In general studies of exemplar theories, exemplar models are influenced by frequency of exposure and recency of exposure. Anttila examines stem final vowel alternations in Finnish morphophonology and finds a striking set of quantitative patterns. In these data, a stem final vowel /a/ with a /i/ suffix can either change to a mid vowel or delete. The learning of statistical distributions in categories extends to gender, age, and social categories. MacFarlane & Hay discuss an extension of sociophonetics into the broader realm of social psychology.
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