{"id":446,"date":"2023-03-02T20:16:55","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T20:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/learn-it-natural-and-artifical-concepts\/"},"modified":"2025-11-14T13:36:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T13:36:45","slug":"learn-it-natural-and-artifical-concepts","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/learn-it-natural-and-artifical-concepts\/","title":{"raw":"Thinking and Problem Solving: Learn It 2\u2014Natural and Artificial Concepts","rendered":"Thinking and Problem Solving: Learn It 2\u2014Natural and Artificial Concepts"},"content":{"raw":"

Natural and Artificial Concepts<\/h2>\r\n

In psychology, concepts can be divided into two categories, natural and artificial.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n

natural concepts<\/h3>\r\n

Natural concepts<\/strong> are concepts we form through experience<\/strong>\u2014either direct<\/strong> (hands-on) or indirect<\/strong> (through media, conversations, or stories).<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n

For example, consider the concept of snow<\/strong>:<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  • If you grew up in Essex Junction, Vermont, you have direct experience<\/em>: watching snow fall, shoveling it, sledding, or packing perfect snowballs.<\/li>\r\n\t
  • If you grew up on Saint Vincent in the Caribbean, you may have never touched snow. Instead, your concept develops from indirect experience<\/em>: pictures, movies, books, or descriptions from others.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    In both cases, you can build a concept of snow, but the richness and detail of the concept depend on your personal experience.<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n

    Natural concepts are \u201cfuzzy.\u201d <\/strong>They do not have strict boundaries, and individuals may form slightly different versions based on their own backgrounds and cultures.<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n

    \r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"975\"]\"Photograph Figure 1.<\/strong>\u00a0(a) Our concept of snow is an example of a natural concept\u2014one that we understand through direct observation and experience. (b) In contrast, artificial concepts are ones that we know by a specific set of characteristics that they always exhibit, such as what defines different basic shapes. (credit a: modification of work by Maarten Takens; credit b: modification of work by \u201cShayan (USA)\u201d\/Flickr)[\/caption]\r\n<\/figure>\r\n
    \r\n

    artificial concept<\/h3>\r\n

    Artificial concepts<\/strong> are defined by a specific set of rules or features<\/strong>. They have clear boundaries and consistent characteristics\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n

    Examples of artificial concepts include:<\/p>\r\n

      \r\n\t
    • Geometric shapes:<\/strong>\r\n
        \r\n\t
      • A triangle<\/em> always has three sides.<\/li>\r\n\t
      • A square<\/em> always has four equal sides and four right angles.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
      • Mathematical formulas:<\/strong>\r\n
          \r\n\t
        • The concept of area<\/em> (length \u00d7 width) applies only when certain conditions are met.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t
        • Legal and scientific definitions:<\/strong>\r\n
            \r\n\t
          • Citizenship, chemical classifications, diagnostic criteria\u2014all rely on agreed-upon rules.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

            Because artificial concepts have rigid structures, they are especially useful for teaching<\/strong>, communication<\/strong>, and advanced thinking<\/strong>. Artificial concepts often build on one another:<\/p>\r\n

              \r\n\t
            1. You must first understand what a square is.<\/li>\r\n\t
            2. Then you can learn the area of a square.<\/li>\r\n\t
            3. With that foundation, you can learn to calculate the area of other shapes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

              As Goldstone and Kersten (2003) explain, concepts act as building blocks, combining in countless ways to support complex reasoning and problem-solving.<\/p>\r\n

              [ohm2_question height=\"700\"]4087[\/ohm2_question]<\/section>","rendered":"

              Natural and Artificial Concepts<\/h2>\n

              In psychology, concepts can be divided into two categories, natural and artificial.<\/p>\n

              \n

              natural concepts<\/h3>\n

              Natural concepts<\/strong> are concepts we form through experience<\/strong>\u2014either direct<\/strong> (hands-on) or indirect<\/strong> (through media, conversations, or stories).<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

              For example, consider the concept of snow<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

                \n
              • If you grew up in Essex Junction, Vermont, you have direct experience<\/em>: watching snow fall, shoveling it, sledding, or packing perfect snowballs.<\/li>\n
              • If you grew up on Saint Vincent in the Caribbean, you may have never touched snow. Instead, your concept develops from indirect experience<\/em>: pictures, movies, books, or descriptions from others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                In both cases, you can build a concept of snow, but the richness and detail of the concept depend on your personal experience.<\/p>\n

                \n

                Natural concepts are \u201cfuzzy.\u201d <\/strong>They do not have strict boundaries, and individuals may form slightly different versions based on their own backgrounds and cultures.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

                \n
                \"Photograph
                Figure 1.<\/strong>\u00a0(a) Our concept of snow is an example of a natural concept\u2014one that we understand through direct observation and experience. (b) In contrast, artificial concepts are ones that we know by a specific set of characteristics that they always exhibit, such as what defines different basic shapes. (credit a: modification of work by Maarten Takens; credit b: modification of work by \u201cShayan (USA)\u201d\/Flickr)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n
                \n

                artificial concept<\/h3>\n

                Artificial concepts<\/strong> are defined by a specific set of rules or features<\/strong>. They have clear boundaries and consistent characteristics\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

                Examples of artificial concepts include:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Geometric shapes:<\/strong>\n
                    \n
                  • A triangle<\/em> always has three sides.<\/li>\n
                  • A square<\/em> always has four equal sides and four right angles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                  • Mathematical formulas:<\/strong>\n
                      \n
                    • The concept of area<\/em> (length \u00d7 width) applies only when certain conditions are met.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                    • Legal and scientific definitions:<\/strong>\n
                        \n
                      • Citizenship, chemical classifications, diagnostic criteria\u2014all rely on agreed-upon rules.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Because artificial concepts have rigid structures, they are especially useful for teaching<\/strong>, communication<\/strong>, and advanced thinking<\/strong>. Artificial concepts often build on one another:<\/p>\n

                          \n
                        1. You must first understand what a square is.<\/li>\n
                        2. Then you can learn the area of a square.<\/li>\n
                        3. With that foundation, you can learn to calculate the area of other shapes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                          As Goldstone and Kersten (2003) explain, concepts act as building blocks, combining in countless ways to support complex reasoning and problem-solving.<\/p>\n