Concept formation involves discriminating between critical and irrelevant attributes to construct a concept. It requires identifying relevant features of a concept, providing examples and non-examples, relating the concept to smaller subordinating concepts and larger superordinating concepts, and categorizing it alongside coordinating terms. Forming the concept of a globe involves identifying that it is round and three-dimensional while disregarding features like its size, material, or whether it is solid or hollow.

3. Learning concept encompasses
learning how to discriminate and
categorize things (with critical
attributes). It also involves recall of
instances, integration of new
examples and sub-categorization.
Concept formation is not related
to simple recall, it must be
constructed.

5. Identify relevant and
irrelevant features of the
concept in question.

6. A relevant feature of the concept of
“globe”.
Irrelevant features include
Example
Concept: GLOBE
What is its shape? Is it round or spherical?
How about its dimension? Is it a three-
dimensional?
What is its size? The substance?
It is solid or hollow?

8. A classroom globe—
pointing out that it is more
rounded than the actual
earth.
Example

9. Provide examples of
irrelevant but loosely
related concepts
with which it might
be compared.

10. Providing non-examples—based
on possible misunderstandings
of the concept, such as a two-
dimensional drawing of a circle.
Example

11. Relate the concept by
some possible smaller or
subordinating concepts.

12. Relating Globe into ball, egg, or
moon.
Example

13. Relate or categorize
the concept by some
possible larger or
superordinating.
concepts.

14. Relating it to “spherical objects” and
stars (which are not really star-
shaped but only appear that way due
to the effect of viewing them through
the atmosphere which causes their
light to disperse and appear to
twinkle).
Example

15. Relate or categorize
the concept alongside
equal or coordinating
terms.

16. Relate or categorize the
concept to other terms,
such as other planets.
EXAMPLE