According to research in cognitive psychology, what do studies on the least typical members of categories reveal about how people categorize objects?

• A. People categorize the least typical members just as quickly and accurately as the most typical members.
• B. People tend to remember the least typical members better than the most typical members.
• C. The least typical members are always excluded from categories by most people.
• D. People are slower and less accurate at categorizing the least typical members compared to more typical ones.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of typicality in categorization: Typicality refers to how representative a member is of a category, with more typical members closely matching the category prototype.
2. Recognize that cognitive psychology studies often measure reaction time and accuracy when participants categorize objects, comparing typical versus least typical members.
3. Note that research findings show people categorize typical members faster and more accurately because these members align closely with mental category prototypes.
4. Understand that least typical members are less representative and thus cause slower and less accurate categorization, reflecting increased cognitive effort or uncertainty.
5. Conclude that studies reveal the cognitive process is influenced by typicality, with least typical members being categorized more slowly and less accurately than typical members.