Learning of role-governed and thematic categories

Acta Psychologica
Micah B GoldwaterGregory L Murphy

Abstract

Natural categories are often based on intrinsic characteristics, such as shared features, but they can also be based on extrinsic relationships to items outside the categories. Examples of relational categories include items that share a thematic relation or items that share a common role. Five experiments used an artificial category learning paradigm to investigate whether people can learn role-governed and thematic categories without explicit instruction or linguistic support. Participants viewed film clips in which objects were engaged in similar actions and then were asked to group together objects that they believed were in the same category. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that while people spontaneously grouped items using both role-governed and thematic relations, when forced to choose between the two, most preferred role-governed categories. In Experiment 3, category labels increased this preference. Experiment 4 found that people failed to group items based on more abstract role relations when the specific relations differed (e.g., objects that prevented different actions). However, Experiment 5 showed that people could identify them with the aid of comparison. We concluded that people can form role-governed categori...Continue Reading

References

Jul 1, 1968·Journal of Experimental Psychology·M I Posner, S W Keele
Mar 1, 1996·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition·Dorrit Billman, James Knutson
Dec 29, 2000·Memory & Cognition·J A WaltzK J Holyoak
Apr 11, 2001·Journal of Experimental Psychology. General·E L Lin, G L Murphy
Jul 10, 2003·Psychological Bulletin·Arthur B Markman, Brian H Ross
Nov 19, 2003·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Douglas L MedinBrett K Hayes
Dec 13, 2003·Child Development·Simone P Nguyen, Gregory L Murphy
Jul 15, 2004·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Li-Jun JiRichard E Nisbett
Aug 2, 2005·Cognition·Douglas L MedinSergey Blok
Nov 11, 2006·Cognitive Psychology·Matt Jones, Bradley C Love
Feb 28, 2007·Journal of Experimental Psychology. General·Phillip Wolff
May 31, 2007·Memory & Cognition·Samuel B Day, Dedre Gentner
Jan 24, 2008·Psychological Review·Leonidas A A DoumasCatherine M Sandhofer
May 16, 2008·The Behavioral and Brain Sciences·Derek C PennDaniel J Povinelli
Mar 18, 2010·Memory & Cognition·Jonathan R ReinArthur B Markman
Oct 5, 2010·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Graeme S HalfordSteven Phillips
Dec 15, 2010·Cognition·Micah B GoldwaterC Hunt Stilwell
Feb 9, 2011·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition·Samuel B Day, Robert L Goldstone
Feb 18, 2011·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Micah B Goldwater, Arthur B Markman
May 12, 2011·Child Development·Dedre GentnerRaquel S Klibanoff
May 14, 2011·Cognitive Science·Dedre Gentner
May 18, 2012·Cognitive Science·Benjamin M RottmanMicah B Goldwater
Jun 12, 2013·Journal of Experimental Psychology. General·Mark A McDanielChelsea Wiener
Jan 15, 2015·Neuropsychologia·Gwyneth A LewisGregory L Murphy

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Aug 4, 2016·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Jennifer Asmuth, Dedre Gentner
Jun 3, 2017·Topics in Cognitive Science·Jeffrey Loewenstein

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.