What are categories that organize objects and events based on shared characteristics called?

The term that refers to categories organizing objects and events based on shared characteristics is "concepts." Concepts enable individuals to group similar items or ideas together, making it easier to understand and relate to the world around them. For example, when you encounter various types of birds, you can categorize them under the concept of "birds" due to shared attributes such as feathers, beaks, and the ability to fly.

Concepts play a crucial role in cognitive development, allowing for effective communication and reasoning. They help simplify the complexity of the environment by providing mental shortcuts to organize knowledge, which can enhance memory and learning.

The other options, while related, serve different purposes. Schemas represent broader frameworks for understanding experiences, prototypes refer to the most representative examples within a category, and categories themselves are just the broader term that could encompass both concepts and schemas. However, the specific term for organizing objects and events based on shared characteristics is indeed concepts.