关键词: 自然类概念, 上位概念, 下位概念, 典型性, 实例效应

Abstract: Using the experimental model of Heit and Barsalou in 1996, this research took the Chinese semantics natural categories in different categorical levels as the experimental material to further confirm the instantiation principle. Two experiments wrer conducted. The participants were 180 third year college students. In experiment 1, the no qualifier word simple categories were used to examine the typicalities of the subordinate categories instantiation from the superordinates suggesting that people attribute the concept both in the abstract level and in the abstract level. In experiment 2, a more complex compound concept was used to examine the instantiation principle in the wider conceptual scope. The results indicated that regardless of the categories on single and on multiple of the subordinate categories or the mean typicalities of the subordinate categories instantiation from the superordinates, they were highly correlated. Moreover the change tendency of the subordinate categories instantiation in different categorical levels′ superordinates(such as animals and small animals)and the change tendency of the subordinate categories in different categorical levels′ superordinates were the same. Both experiment 1 and experiment 2 supported the instantiation principle.

Key words: natural catergory concept, superordinates concept, subordinate concept, typicalities, instantiation principle