Handbook of Categorization in Cognitive Science, Second Edition presents the study of categories and the process of categorization as viewed through the lens of the founding disciplines of the cognitive sciences, and how the study of categorization has long been at the core of each of these disciplines. The literature on categorization reveals there is a plethora of definitions, theories, models and methods to apprehend this central object of study. The contributions in this handbook reflect this diversity. For example, the notion of category is not uniform across these contributions, and there are multiple definitions of the notion of concept. Furthermore, the study of category and categorization is approached differently within each discipline. For some authors, the categories themselves constitute the object of study, whereas for others, it is the process of categorization, and for others still, it is the technical manipulation of large chunks of information. Finally, yet another contrast has to do with the biological versus artificial nature of agents or categorizers. - Defines notions of category and categorization - Discusses the nature of categories: discrete, vague, or other - Explores the modality effects on categories - Bridges the category divide - calling attention to the bridges that have already been built, and avenues for further cross-fertilization between disciplines

A proposal for a categorization of cognition based on core properties of the constituent processes that integrates theory and empirical findings across domains. All sciences need ways to classify the phenomena they investigate; chemistry has the periodic table and biology a taxonomic system for classifying life forms. These classification schemes depend on conceptual coherence, demonstrated correspondences across paradigms. This conceptual coherence has proved elusive in psychology, although recent advances have brought the field to the point at which it is possible to define the type of classificatory system needed. This book proposes a categorization of cognition based on core properties of constituent processes, recognizing correspondences between cognitive processes with similar underlying structure but different surface properties. These correspondences are verified mathematically and shown not to be merely coincidental. The proposed formulation leads to general principles that transcend domains and paradigms and facilitate the interpretation of empirical findings. It covers human and nonhuman cognition and human cognition in all age ranges. Just as the periodic table classifies elements and not compounds, this system classifies relatively basic versions of cognitive tasks but allows for complexity. The book shows that a more integrated, coherent account of cognition would have many benefits. It would reduce the conceptual fragmentation of psychology; offer defined criteria by which to categorize new empirical results; and lead to fruitful hypotheses for the acquisition of higher cognition.

The book is concerned with Vantage Theory (VT), a model of categorization proposed by the American linguist, anthropologist, and cognitive scientist, Robert E. MacLaury (1944–2004). It consists of three of his previously unpublished studies and five chapters by other authors. Vantage Theory views categorization as a process of vantage (point of view) construction by analogy to the way humans orient themselves in space-time. Originating in the domain of color, the theory was extended to cover other aspects of cognition and language. The chapters authored by MacLaury introduce the model, discuss the details of the analogy between space-time and categorization, and present four case studies. The remaining chapters present an overview of the existing literature on VT, locate the model against the broader background of psychological and cognitive research, and propose its application to novel data.

Categorization, the basic cognitive process of arranging objects into categories, is a fundamental process in human and machine intelligence and is central to investigations and research in cognitive science. Until now, categorization has been approached from singular disciplinary perspectives with little overlap or communication between the disciplines involved (Linguistics, Psychology, Philosophy, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Cognitive Anthropology). Henri Cohen and Claire Lefebvre have gathered together a stellar collection of contributors in this unique, ambitious attempt to bring together converging disciplinary and conceptual perspectives on this topic. "Categorization is a key concept across the range of cognitive sciences, including linguistics and philosophy, yet hitherto it has been hard to find accounts that go beyond the concerns of one or two individual disciplines. The Handbook of Categorization in Cognitive Science provides just the sort of interdisciplinary approach that is necessary to synthesize knowledge from the different fields and provide the basis for future innovation." Professor Bernard Comrie, Department of Linguistics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany "Anyone concerned with language, semantics, or categorization will want to have this encyclopedic collection." Professor Eleanor Rosch, Dept of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, USA

Knowledge, Concepts and Categories brings together an overview of recent research on concepts and knowledge that abstracts across a variety of specific fields of cognitive psychology. Readers will find data from many different areas: developmental psychology, formal modelling, neuropsychology, connectionism, philosophy, and so on. The book can be divided into three parts. Chapters 1 to 5 each contain a thorough and systematic review of a significant aspect of research on concepts and categories. Chapters 6 to 9 are concerned primarily with issues related to the taxonomy of human knowledge. Finally, Chapters 10 to 12 discuss formal models of categorization and function learning. The purpose of these three chapters is to provide a few examples of current formal modelling of conceptual behaviour. Knowledge, Concepts and Categories will be welcomed by students and researchers in cognitive psychology and related areas as an unusually wide-ranging and authoritative review of an important subfield of psychology.

Concepts and Conceptual Development draws together a wide range of theorists to consider many different aspects of 'the psychology of concepts'.

Based on the Fitts Lectures, this volume presents a core set of concepts and principles that proposes a unified interpretation of a wide variety of phenomena of memory, categorization and decision-making. These theories are then applied to issues in category-learning and recognition.

Readings in Cognitive Science: A Perspective from Psychology and Artificial Intelligence brings together important studies that fall in the intersection between artificial intelligence and cognitive psychology. This book is composed of six chapters, and begins with the complex anatomy and physiology of the human brain. The next chapters deal with the components of cognitive science, such as the semantic memory, similarity and analogy, and learning. These chapters also consider the application of mental models, which represent the domain-specific knowledge needed to understand a dynamic system or natural physical phenomena. The remaining chapters discuss the concept of reasoning, problem solving, planning, vision, and imagery. This book is of value to psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and researchers who are interested in cognition.

The process of constructing concepts underpins our capacity to encode information in an efficient and competent manner and also, ultimately, our ability to think in terms of abstract ideas such as justice, love and happiness. But what are the mechanisms which correspond to psychological categorization processes? This book unites many prominent approaches in modelling categorization. Each chapter focuses on a particular formal approach to categorization, presented by the proponent(s) or advocate(s) of that approach, and the authors consider the relation of this approach to other models and the ultimate objectives in their research programmes. The volume evaluates progress that has been made in the field and where it goes from here. This is an essential companion to any scientist interested in the formal description of categorization and, more generally, in formal approaches to cognition. It will be the definitive guide to formal approaches in categorization research for years to come.