Full Idea
An object that is extremely similar to a specific known category member, but only moderately similar to others, is more likely to be categorised as a category member than an object that is moderately similar to most known category members.
Gist of Idea
In practice, known examples take priority over the rest of the set of exemplars
Source
Edouard Machery (Doing Without Concepts [2009], 4.3.3)
Book Reference
Machery,Edouard: 'Doing Without Concepts' [OUP 2009], p.98
A Reaction
This research finding is a problem for the Exemplar Theory, in which all the exemplars have equal status. It is even a problem for the Prototype Theory, since the known member may not be like the prototype.