What is Categorization?
[[File:Castelnau-Cheiroptères-3-Phyllostomidés.png|thumb|[[Bat|Bats]] can fly. In the Middle Ages, they were classified together with other flying animals as [[Bird|birds]]. Today, bats are classified as [[Mammal|mammals]].]] [[File:Wild Platypus 4 (cropped).jpg|thumb|A [[platypus]]; one of only very few egg-laying mammals.]] [[File:Kategorienbildung.gif|thumb|Its easy to categorize trees as either [[deciduous]] or [[conifer]]. So what to do with a [[palm tree]]?]] '''Categorization''' is the fact that people recognize similarities of different things, and put these things into groups, called [[Category|categories]]. Categorization is one of the most fundamental [[Cognition|cognitive abilities]]. As such it is studied by [[Psychologist|psychologists]] and people interested in [[behaviour]]. People form these categories either because of other things they know (pre-existing knowledge), or by comparing them with other similar entities. While the categories use in science rarely have exceptions, categories in everyday life often do. As an example: Neither [[Rhea (bird)|Rheas]] nor [[Ostrich|ostriches]] can fly, yet even children will classify them as birds. Today, scientists tell us that other [[Animal|animals]], such as the [[Great ape|great apes]], [[Horse|horses]] or even [[Dove|doves]] have the ability to form categories. {{Sci-stub}} [[Category:Science]]