Opinion Science #112: Thinking Categorically with Greg Murphy
17 snips
Jan 5, 2026 
Greg Murphy, an emeritus professor and cognitive psychologist renowned for his work on categorization, dives into the fascinating world of how we classify concepts. He explores the impact of categories on our social perceptions and judgments, emphasizing their role in guiding expectations and potentially fostering prejudice. Murphy also discusses the flexibility of categorization, how individual knowledge can challenge broad categories, and debates the distinction between real and invented classifications. The conversation highlights the significance of language in shaping our understanding.
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Cereal-As-Soup Conversation Starter
- Andy Luttrell describes asking people whether cereal is a soup to reveal fuzzy categories.
- The exercise forces people to realize they lack clear rules for common categories.
Opinions Often Live In Categories
- Many opinions live at the category level, so knowing what a category means shapes likes and dislikes.
- Misunderstanding a category changes expectations and choices in everyday situations.
Categories Enable Rapid Social Judgments
- Categories let us apply beliefs to new people and objects quickly, enabling both prejudice and trust.
- Category-based judgments work only if we notice and use the category.
