Concept Learning - Types of Concepts

Types of Concepts

1. Not a Concept. Learning through reciting something from memory (recall) or discriminating between two things that differ (discrimination) is not the same as concept learning. However, these issues are closely related, since fact memory recall could be considered a "trivial" conceptual process where prior exemplars representing the concept were invariant. Similarly, while discrimination is not the same as initial concept learning, discrimination processes are involved in refinement of concepts with repeated presentation of exemplars.
2. Concrete or Perceptual Concepts vs Abstract Concepts
3. Defined (or Relational) and Associated Concepts
4. Complex Concepts. Constructs such as a schema and a script are examples of complex concepts. A schema is an organization of smaller concepts (or features) and is revised by situational information to assist in comprehension. A script on the other hand is a list of actions that a person follows in order to complete a desired goal. An example of a script would be buying a CD. There are several actions that must occur before the actual act of purchasing the CD and a script provides you with the necessary actions and proper order of these actions in order to be successful in purchasing the CD.