Infant perceptual and conceptual categorization: the roles of static and dynamic stimulus attributes.
Infants' categorization of animals and vehicles based on static vs. dynamic attributes of stimuli was investigated in five experiments (N=158) using a categorization habituation-of-looking paradigm. In Experiment 1, 6-month-olds categorized static color images of animals and vehicles, and in Experiment 2, 6-month-olds categorized dynamic point-light displays showing only motions of the same animals and vehicles. In Experiments 3, 4, and 5, 6- and 9-month-olds were tested in an habituation-transfer paradigm: half of the infants at each age were habituated to static images and tested with dynamic point-light displays, and the other half were habituated to dynamic point-light displays and tested with static images. Six-month-olds did not transfer. Only 9-month-olds who were habituated to dynamic displays showed evidence of category transfer to static images. Together the findings show that 6-month-olds categorize animals and vehicles based on static and dynamic information, and 9-month-olds can transfer dynamic category information to static images. Transfer, static vs. dynamic information, and age effects in infant categorization are discussed.
Department of Psychology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA. arterber@gettysburg.edu
Martha E
ME
Arterberry
Marc H
MH
Bornstein
D000367:Age Factors; D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009039:Motion Perception; D014796:Visual Perception