Prototype theory eleanor rosch biography

Theory of categorization based upon degrees of similarity to a central case

Prototype theory is a theory of categorization in cognitive science, particularly in psychology and cognitive linguistics, in which there is a graded degree of belonging to a conceptual category, and some members are more central than others.

It emerged in with the work of psychologist Eleanor Rosch, and it has been described as a "Copernican Revolution" in the theory of categorization for its departure from the traditional Aristotelian categories.^[1] It has been criticized by those that still endorse the traditional theory of categories, like linguist Eugenio Coseriu and other proponents of the structural semanticsparadigm.^[1]

In this prototype theory, any given concept in any given language has a real world example that best represents this concept.

For example: when asked to give an example of the concept furniture, a couch is more frequently cited than, say