Concepts are mental categories that help us organise and make sense of the world. They enable us to categorise objects, ideas, or experiences based on shared characteristics. For example, the concept of “chair” includes many different shapes and styles, but we recognise them all as belonging to the same category.
Concepts make thinking more efficient—we don’t need to relearn what a “dog” is every time we meet a new one. They also support problem-solving, communication, and reasoning. However, concepts are not fixed; they are influenced by culture, language, and personal experience.