i202 Fall 2009 School of Information, UC Berkeley

In the Lakoff article, just after the Austin section, Lakoff discusses cognitive psychologists who've begun studying categories based on "holistically structured activities" based on the Austin's work, specifically the cricket example.

He writes:

Cognitive psychologists have recently begun to study categories based on such holistically structured activities. Barsalou (1983, 1984) has studied such categories as things to take on a camping trip, foods not to eat on a diet, clothes to wear in the snow and the like. Such categories, among their other properties, do not show family resemblances among their members.

It occurred to me that this idea of gestalt perception, while probably not identified as such, was the basis for the 80s TV game show $25,000 Pyramid hosted by Dick Clark. I LOVED this show. Contestants worked in pairs, with 2 celebrities (often Betty White) and 2 contestants. For the main round of the show, one of the pair would give clues and the other would receive them. Clues grouped in categories such as those in the Barsalou study, and the giver was presented with 7 items that "fit" the category. S/he would then describe the object without using any word in the actual object's name and the receiver would attempt to guess the clues.

But it's really the $25,000 round that is the most interesting in this case. The giver's clues changed so instead of trying to get the receiver to name individual items, the giver would name individual items in an attempt to get the receiver to identify the broad category—holistic structure!—to which these items all "belong." If the category was "things to take on a camping trip" the giver might name things like "tent," "firewood," "sleeping bag," or "marshmallows." Oddly enough, in the clip below, one of the categories is "Boy Scout things" and her first guess after a few clues is "things to take camping."

The pair's success depended not just on the clues given, but on the pair having a similar gestalt perception when it comes to specific holistically structured activities. If the members thought far too differently, they would suffer through even the sets of 7 in the first round. But if they thought similarly, the last round could be really, really awesome. They almost brought this show back in 2009 but apparently opted instead for something with Wayne Brady. Disappointing.

Here are a few more clips. I tried to find a super fail one but I don't have time right now. I'll add it later if I find something.

Round 1 with Markie Post

$25,000 round with Betty White