Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning

Recent studies have provided evidence that labeling can influence the outcome of infants' visual categorization. However, what exactly happens during learning remains unclear. Using eye-tracking, we examined infants' attention to object parts during learning. Our analysis of looking behavi...

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Main Authors: Althaus, N, Mareschal, D
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science 2014
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author Althaus, N
Mareschal, D
author_facet Althaus, N
Mareschal, D
author_sort Althaus, N
collection OXFORD
description Recent studies have provided evidence that labeling can influence the outcome of infants' visual categorization. However, what exactly happens during learning remains unclear. Using eye-tracking, we examined infants' attention to object parts during learning. Our analysis of looking behaviors during learning provide insights going beyond merely observing the learning outcome. Both labeling and non-labeling phrases facilitated category formation in 12-month-olds but not 8-month-olds (Experiment 1). Non-linguistic sounds did not produce this effect (Experiment 2). Detailed analyses of infants' looking patterns during learning revealed that only infants who heard labels exhibited a rapid focus on the object part successive exemplars had in common. Although other linguistic stimuli may also be beneficial for learning, it is therefore concluded that labels have a unique impact on categorization.
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spelling oxford-uuid:ecfec70a-a264-48f5-b4f3-6447846ffd1f2022-03-27T11:21:38ZLabels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learningJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:ecfec70a-a264-48f5-b4f3-6447846ffd1fEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordPublic Library of Science2014Althaus, NMareschal, DRecent studies have provided evidence that labeling can influence the outcome of infants' visual categorization. However, what exactly happens during learning remains unclear. Using eye-tracking, we examined infants' attention to object parts during learning. Our analysis of looking behaviors during learning provide insights going beyond merely observing the learning outcome. Both labeling and non-labeling phrases facilitated category formation in 12-month-olds but not 8-month-olds (Experiment 1). Non-linguistic sounds did not produce this effect (Experiment 2). Detailed analyses of infants' looking patterns during learning revealed that only infants who heard labels exhibited a rapid focus on the object part successive exemplars had in common. Although other linguistic stimuli may also be beneficial for learning, it is therefore concluded that labels have a unique impact on categorization.
spellingShingle Althaus, N
Mareschal, D
Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning
title Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning
title_full Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning
title_fullStr Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning
title_full_unstemmed Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning
title_short Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning
title_sort labels direct infants attention to commonalities during novel category learning
work_keys_str_mv AT althausn labelsdirectinfantsattentiontocommonalitiesduringnovelcategorylearning
AT mareschald labelsdirectinfantsattentiontocommonalitiesduringnovelcategorylearning