The effect of category variability in perceptual categorization.

Full Abstract

Exemplar and distributional accounts of categorization make differing predictions for the classification of a critical exemplar precisely halfway between the nearest exemplars of 2 categories differing in variability. Under standard conditions of sequential presentation, the critical exemplar was classified into the most similar, least variable category, consistent with an exemplar account. However, if the difference in variability is made more salient, then the same exemplar is classified into the more variable, most likely category, consistent with a distributional account. This suggests that participants may be strategic in their use of either strategy. However, when the relative variability of 2 categories was manipulated, participants showed changes in the classification of intermediate exemplars that neither approach could account for.

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Author information

Author/s: Stewart, Neil (N); Chater, Nick (N);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, United Kingdom. neil.stewart(-atsign-)warwick.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Sep; vol 28 (issue 5) : pp 893-907

Dates: Created 2002/09/10; Completed 2003/03/20; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12219797, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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