A further investigation of category learning by inference.

Full Abstract

Categories are learned in many ways besides by classification, for example, by making inferences about classified items. One hypothesis is that classifications lead to the learning of features that distinguish categories, whereas inferences promote the learning of the internal structure of categories, such as the typical features. Experiment 1 included single-feature and full-feature classification tests following either classification or inference learning. Consistent with predictions, inference learners did better on the single tests but worse on the full tests. Experiment 2 further showed that inference learners, unlike classification learners, were no better at classifying items that they had seen at study compared with equally typical items they had not seen at study. Experiment 3 showed that features queried about during inference learning were classified better than ones not queried about, although even the latter features showed some learning on single-feature tests. The discussion focuses on how different types of category learning lead to different category representations.

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Author information

Author/s: Anderson, Amy L (AL); Ross, Brian H (BH); Chin-Parker, Seth (S);

Affiliation: University of Illinois, Urbana, USA.

Journal and publication information

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

Journal: Memory & cognition (Mem Cognit), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Jan; vol 30 (issue 1) : pp 119-28

Dates: Created 2002/04/17; Completed 2002/10/29; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 11958345, 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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