When asked to think of a bird, a four-year-old imagines Big Bird from Sesame Street. This is more an exemplar than a prototype.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An exemplar is a specific example that comes to mind, while a prototype is a generalized representation of a category. In this case, Big Bird is a specific example of a bird that the child associates with the category. Therefore, it is more an exemplar than a prototype.

When Asked to Think of a Bird, a Four-Year-Old Imagines