Formations of mental representations in prototype context

The dual coding approach based on the assumption of the dominant and subdominantcharacter of interaction between the modal and a-modal codes of information acquiring and processing, as well as the relevantprinciples (mechanisms) of typification and classification, allows interpreting two competitive views on the nature of prototype. Twocognitively privileged mechanisms could be considered depending on the abstraction level of a certain category: typification (at the basiclevel) or classification (at the basic or super-ordinary levels of abstraction). Levels of categorical hierarchy in the structure of representationsare considered as the substance of individual cognitive experience in different ways; therefore we directly connect personalintellectual development with the nature of mental representations. The experimental research included two stages. At the first stagemental representations of students were studied. To achieve this goal experimental design known as directed association was modified.This allowed determining the leading way of verbal material grouping. At the second stage subjects were presented with the tasksthat could agree (by content) or disagree with their leading way of grouping. As the aim of the research was to check the efficiency ofmental representations formation it was suggested to measure reaction time as well as accuracy of task completion. If the leading way ofgrouping plays the major role then the tasks that are in agreement with it would be solved quicker and with fewer errors. The resultsobtained showed that in youth the conceptual way of grouping prevails over the associative way of grouping, and, correspondently, determinesthe efficiency of categorical but not thematic representations. It was also shown that the tasks that are in agreement with theleading way of grouping are solved quicker and with fewer errors. The highest efficiency indices were obtained for the group of subjectswith the conceptual leading way of grouping when they solve tasks with conceptual instructions. In such a way, it could be concludedthat the nature of mental representations determines the efficiency of their formation, and, therefore, personal development. Mental representationsare not only the results of subjects cognitive experience, but also the influence processing of new information as well astheir further cognitive development. Mental representations play the role of prototype in further cognitive activity, i.e. allusion (hint) inthe processes of categorization. Therefore the leading way of grouping ensures a higher level of efficiency of the corresponding mentalrepresentations formation as well as doing this in a shorter time period.

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