TYPICALITY

t, typicality is a graded phenomenon, in which items can be extremely typical (close to the prototype), moderately typical (fairly close), atypical (not close), and finally borderline category members (things that are about equally distant from two different prototypes). This sort of description summarizes the range of typicality that is often seen in categories. Researchers of all theoretical persuasions talk about category prototypes, borderline cases, and typical and less typical items in this way.