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typicality

representativeness / normality
Noun

This term describes the extent to which an individual case embodies the defining characteristics of a larger group. It is frequently employed in academic, statistical, and psychological contexts to discuss how well a sample represents a population or how a specific example serves as a prototype for a category. In cognitive science, it refers to the perceived normality of a member within a class, where some members are seen as more central or representative than others. It is an abstract quality and is treated as an uncountable mass noun in these technical applications.

Meanings

Noun

The quality or state of being representative of a particular group, class, or type.

"The typicality of the sample ensured that the study results could be generalized to the entire population."

Noun

The degree to which an instance conforms to the expected characteristics of a category.

"In cognitive linguistics, the typicality of a prototype determines how quickly a person categorizes a new object."

Last Updated: June 11, 2026Report an Error