Name: concepts built from experience and rules
Uploaded: 2025-01-08T16:31:09.000Z
Duration: 1 min 24 s
Channel: JoVE

In psychology, concepts are divided into two categories &#8212; natural and artificial concepts.
Natural concepts form through direct or indirect experiences.
For example, living in the countryside gives an individual direct experience with farm animals through interaction.
In contrast, city dwellers know about farm animals through indirect experiences like books or farm visits.
Both direct and indirect experiences help construct an understanding of farm animals.
Similarly, artificial concepts are defined by specific characteristics, such as geometric shapes like squares and triangles.
For instance, a triangle always has three angles and three sides, while a square has four equal sides and four right angles.
Artificial concepts build on one another to aid in understanding complex ideas. For example, knowing a square helps in learning about three-dimensional structures like a cube and its volume.
In addition to physical reality, artificial concepts can also be explained by rules or abstract thoughts.
For example, a legal contract is an agreement between parties defined by specific terms and conditions.

natural and artificial concepts

Natural and Artificial Concepts

In psychology, concepts can be divided into two categories: natural and artificial. Natural concepts are formed through direct or indirect experiences. For example, consider the concept of snow. If you live in a place with regular snowfall, such as Essex Junction, Vermont, you know snow through direct experiences. You&#8217;ve seen it fall, touched it, shoveled it, and played in it. You recognize its texture, appearance, and even its smell. In contrast, if you live on an island like Saint Vincent in the Caribbean, where snow is uncommon, you might know snow only through indirect experiences, such as seeing pictures, watching films, or reading descriptions. Regardless of how you learn about it, your understanding of snow is constructed through observations and experiences.
Artificial concepts, on the other hand, are defined by specific sets of characteristics, and, unlike natural concepts, are not defined by experience and are true regardless of experience. Geometric shapes serve as good examples. A triangle always has three angles and three sides, while a square always has four equal sides and four right angles. Mathematical formulas, such as the equation for the area of a rectangle (length &#215; width), are also artificial concepts because unchanging characteristics define them. These concepts are essential for building and understanding more complex ideas needed for advanced problem-solving and reasoning. For instance, to understand the area of a square, you must first understand what a square is. This foundational knowledge enables you to learn about the area of more intricate geometric shapes.
Artificial concepts are crucial for effective communication and complex thought processes. Goldstone and Kersten suggest that artificial and natural concepts act as building blocks that can be combined in numerous ways to create complex ideas and develop complex thoughts.

In psychology, concepts are divided into two categories &#8212; natural and artificial concepts.
Natural concepts form through direct or indirect ...

Education

JoVE Core

Introduction to Psychology

Unit 1

Thinking, Language And Intelligence

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

concepts built from experience and rules

Natural and artificial concepts help explain how people organize ideas in psychology. Natural concepts come from direct or indirect experience. They are built from what a person sees, hears, touches, or reads about over time.

Snow is a clear example of a natural concept. A student in Essex Junction, Vermont may know snow from direct experience by seeing it fall, touching it, shoveling it, and playing in it. A student in Saint Vincent in the Caribbean may know snow only through indirect experience, such as pictures, films, or written descriptions. In both cases, the idea of snow is shaped by observations and experience.

Artificial concepts work differently. They are defined by a specific set of features, and those features stay the same no matter who is learning them. A triangle has three angles and three sides, while a square has four equal sides and four right angles. Mathematical rules, such as the area of a rectangle being length times width, also fit this category.

These concepts matter because they help build more complex ideas for problem-solving and reasoning. To find the area of a square, for example, you first need to know what a square is. That basic knowledge then supports learning about the area of more complex shapes. Goldstone and Kersten describe natural and artificial concepts as building blocks that can be combined in many ways to support complex thought and effective communication.

Concepts Built from Experience and Rules

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Natural and artificial concepts help explain how people organize ideas in psychology. Natural concepts come from direct or indirect experience. They are built from what a person sees, hears, touches, or reads about over time. Snow is a clear example of a natural concept. A student in Essex Junction, Vermont may know snow from direct experience by seeing it fall, touching it, shoveling it, and playing in it. A student in Saint Vincent in the Caribbean may know snow only through indirect...

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key terms and concepts

Learn how natural concepts come from experience and artificial concepts come from fixed rules, with examples like snow, triangles, squares, and rectangle area.

Concepts Built from Experience and Rules | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Introduction to Psychology offers an engaging learning experience on the fundamental principles of psychology through concise video lessons. Students will explore important topics such as cognitive processes, emotional regulation, and neural mechanisms, establishing a strong foundation in the study of the mind and human behavior. This series provides an accessible and captivating approach to grasp the essential concepts of the discipline.

introduction to psychology

Concepts Built from Experience and Rules

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