Discovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learning
A key question in categorisation is how infants extract regularities from the exemplars they encounter. Detecting similarities and dissimilarities across items is vital in order to determine category-relevant features. Previous research found evidence that infants acquire a single category more easi...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022
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| _version_ | 1826308146127175680 |
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| author | Sučević, J Althaus, N Plunkett, K |
| author_facet | Sučević, J Althaus, N Plunkett, K |
| author_sort | Sučević, J |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | A key question in categorisation is how infants extract regularities from the exemplars they
encounter. Detecting similarities and dissimilarities across items is vital in order to determine
category-relevant features. Previous research found evidence that infants acquire a single
category more easily with paired presentations in comparison to single presentations (Oakes &
Ribar, 2005; Oakes & Kovack-Lesh, 2007). Here, we focus on infants’ acquisition of a category
contrast, i.e. when they are exposed to two categories. In an eye-tracking study, we examined
10-month-old infants’ ability to learn two novel visual categories when presented with one item
at a time and with items in pairs. Infants were familiarised with pairs of items from the same
category or with pairs of items from different categories (cross-category pairs). Using a linear
model with a priori contrasts, we show that infants’ learning is directly related to the
opportunity for category comparison: there is no evidence of category learning in the singleitem condition, improved performance when familiarised with same-category pairs, and finally
robust category learning when familiarised with cross-category pairs. We conclude that
comparison which involves items from different categories promotes category formation, by
highlighting differences and promoting a discovery of category boundaries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:15:08Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:548cdbf1-3a2f-448b-8107-0fef263e806d |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:15:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:548cdbf1-3a2f-448b-8107-0fef263e806d2022-07-29T08:23:00ZDiscovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learningJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:548cdbf1-3a2f-448b-8107-0fef263e806dEnglishSymplectic ElementsWiley2022Sučević, JAlthaus, NPlunkett, KA key question in categorisation is how infants extract regularities from the exemplars they encounter. Detecting similarities and dissimilarities across items is vital in order to determine category-relevant features. Previous research found evidence that infants acquire a single category more easily with paired presentations in comparison to single presentations (Oakes & Ribar, 2005; Oakes & Kovack-Lesh, 2007). Here, we focus on infants’ acquisition of a category contrast, i.e. when they are exposed to two categories. In an eye-tracking study, we examined 10-month-old infants’ ability to learn two novel visual categories when presented with one item at a time and with items in pairs. Infants were familiarised with pairs of items from the same category or with pairs of items from different categories (cross-category pairs). Using a linear model with a priori contrasts, we show that infants’ learning is directly related to the opportunity for category comparison: there is no evidence of category learning in the singleitem condition, improved performance when familiarised with same-category pairs, and finally robust category learning when familiarised with cross-category pairs. We conclude that comparison which involves items from different categories promotes category formation, by highlighting differences and promoting a discovery of category boundaries. |
| spellingShingle | Sučević, J Althaus, N Plunkett, K Discovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learning |
| title | Discovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learning |
| title_full | Discovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learning |
| title_fullStr | Discovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learning |
| title_short | Discovering category boundaries: the role of comparison in infants’ novel category learning |
| title_sort | discovering category boundaries the role of comparison in infants novel category learning |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sucevicj discoveringcategoryboundariestheroleofcomparisonininfantsnovelcategorylearning AT althausn discoveringcategoryboundariestheroleofcomparisonininfantsnovelcategorylearning AT plunkettk discoveringcategoryboundariestheroleofcomparisonininfantsnovelcategorylearning |