Ø Template Matching Theory

Ø This theory says that we have stored in our minds millions of sets of templates, which are highly detailed models for patterns we might potentially recognize.

Ø Searching for an exact match might be appropriate in reference to fingerprints or UPC codes. However, our brains are unable to store a template for everything that we've ever encountered. And this is not flexible enough to account for changes in present templates, such as our friend's new haircut.
 
 

Ø Prototype Theory

Ø The rigidity of template theories led to this alternative explanation. Prototype theory states that instead of storing millions of templates in our minds, we store prototypes, which are the best examples of a class of related objects or patterns.

Ø Prototype theory is an improvement upon template matching because no exact match is needed to recognize something. For instance, we could recognize our friend with the new haircut because even with the change in hair, they are not unrecognizably different from the prototype that is stored in our minds.
 
 

Ø Distinctive Features Theories

Ø According to these theories, we attempt to match features of a pattern to features stored in memory, rather than to match an entire pattern to a template or prototype.

Ø In reference to our friend, this theory makes perfect sense. For according to distinctive features theories, one change in our friend's appearance should not affect our ability to recognize all the other features that we know so well. Because we are breaking things down into different components our friend's nose, or eyes, or smile will still seem familiar and will result in recognition.
 
 

This page prepared by:

Allison Banks
Smyth Lai
Josh Lowery
Lizzie Whitaker