Final answer:
The observation that category membership for common objects is verified faster than category membership of uncommon objects can be explained by the fact that individuals have far more examples of experiences with common objects than with uncommon objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Using exemplar theory, the observation that category membership for common objects is verified faster than category membership for uncommon objects can be explained by the fact that individuals have far more examples of experiences with common objects than with uncommon objects.
In exemplar theory, category membership is determined by comparing a new object to specific examples or exemplars that are stored in memory. Common objects have a higher probability of being encountered frequently in everyday life, which means that people have more exemplars stored in memory for these objects.
When a new object is presented, the brain can quickly compare it to the numerous common object exemplars it has stored, leading to faster verification of category membership. On the other hand, uncommon objects have fewer exemplars stored in memory, which may result in a longer verification process.