Rules and exemplars in category learning.
Psychological theories of categorization generally focus on either rule- or exemplar-based explanations. We present 2 experiments that show evidence of both rule induction and exemplar encoding as well as a connectionist model, ATRIUM, that specifies a mechanism for combining rule- and exemplar-based representation. In 2 experiments participants learned to classify items, most of which followed a simple rule, although there were a few frequently occurring exceptions. Experiment 1 examined how people extrapolate beyond the range of training. Experiment 2 examined the effect of instance frequency on generalization. Categorization behavior was well described by the model, in which exemplar representation is used for both rule and exception processing. A key element in correctly modeling these results was capturing the interaction between the rule- and exemplar-based representations by using shifts of attention between rules and exemplars.
Erickson
M A
MA
Department of Psychology, Indiana University Bloomington, USA. erickson@cmu.edu
Kruschke
J K
JK
D001288:Attention; D002965:Classification; D019336:Cognitive Science; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D007802:Language; D007858:Learning; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008960:Models, Psychological; D014163:Transfer, Psychology