WHAT ROLE DOES CATEGORIZATION PLAY IN HUMAN NATURE?

Understanding and categorizing things, even simple things, help us get through life easier. It can enable us to make plans or predictions about the future; it can allow us to create a path for ourselves, and let us be able to make change in the world. Or, categorization can just help us do the things we love most. But, it can also lead to unfair judgement.

Categorization helps us work more efficiently. When your are an adult, you use categorization to work and get done what needs to be done, like organizing paper work or trying to find research for a certain topic. But, when you are a kid, you use categorization for simple things, like knowing where to put certain toys, or knowing where to find a snack. But, important for our lives all the same.

Categorization helps with being practical. Without categorization you would never know what to wear on cold or warm days, not know what days of the week to go to school or work, and you wouldn’t know what appliances did what.

Categorization and survival instincts are also connected. If we didn’t categorize we would get hurt a lot more. For example, if we didn’t use categorization for survival instincts, you could see a a cliff, not knowing what it was, and jump off. You have to categorize things into dangerous and not dangerous to keep ourselves safe.

Categorization also helps us make decisions. You have to categorize the decision into, will this benefit me or others, is it good or bad, will it harm my future? Then, based on what you think, you can decide what you want to do.

Categorization is extremely important in our world. But, categorization can actually sometimes be bad. It can lead to stereotyping or racism.

When our brains categorize, it tries to do it fast. This can lead to unfair judgement of others. Especially, when that judgement is widely believed, it is faster and easier. But, is not always right or fair judgement.

Those are some of the roles categorization plays in human nature. Not all of categorization is good, but categorization is important for our society and our every day lives.

Sources

• Feldman, Susan. "Why CATEGORIZE?" KM World, vol. 13, no. 9, Oct. 2004, p. 8. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/ login.aspx?direct=true&db=aqh&AN=14688134&site=ehost-live.
• Gopnik, Alison, and David M. Sobel. "Detecting Blickets: How Young Children Use Information about Novel Causal Powers in Categorization and Induction." Child Development, vol. 71, no. 5, Sept. lol 2000, p. 1205. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=3841082&site=ehost-li....
• Grill-Spector, Kalanit, and Kevin S. Weiner. "The Functional Architecture of the Ventral Temporal Cortex and Its Role in Categorization." Nature Reviews Neuroscience, vol. 15, no. 8, Aug. 2014, p. 536. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1038/ nrn3747.
• Jeppson, Jandy, and Judith A. Myers-Walls. "Understanding Same and Different (Classification)." Provider-Parent Partnerships, Purdue University, 2013, www.extension.purdue.edu/providerparent/Child%20Growth-Development/ UnderstandingSameDiff.htm. Accessed 17 Dec. 2018.

Portrait of a Learner

I persevered, when it was really hard for me to find sources. I kept working, and even was working at home to try to get stuff done. Especially when I felt like I wasn’t getting anything done. In the end, I found enough sources to start my project, and have good facts to stand behind my beliefs.