Final answer:
The typicality effect suggests that statements about more prototypical category members are verified quicker, thus, 'A dog is a household pet' is verified faster than 'A ferret is a household pet' due to the dog's higher typicality as a household pet.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the typicality effect, the speed of verification that an item is a member of a category depends on how typical the item is of that category. In light of this, the statement "A dog is a household pet" should be verified faster than "A poodle is a household pet", because 'dog' is a more prototypical example of a household pet than 'poodle', which is a specific breed of dog. This answer utilizes the concept of cognitive psychology which explores how people categorize and process information about the world around them.
Applying this principle:
- Option A is incorrect because a poodle, as a specific type of dog, might not be verified as quickly as the more general category of 'dog'.
- Option B is incorrect as 'dog' is more prototypically associated with being a pet than a living thing, which is a broader category.
- Option D is incorrect for a similar reason to B, as 'animal' is a broader category than 'pet'.
- Option E is incorrect as this statement involves an obvious category error; ferrets are not insects.
- The correct answer is C, "A ferret is a household pet", because 'dog' is a more prototypical example of a household pet than 'ferret', making the statement about dogs being household pets verified faster.