Prototype abstraction by monkeys (Macaca mulatta).
The authors analyze the shape categorization of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and the role of prototype- and exemplar-based comparison processes in monkeys' category learning. Prototype and exemplar theories make contrasting predictions regarding performance on the Posner-Homa dot-distortion categorization task. Prototype theory--which presumes that participants refer to-be-categorized items to a representation near the category's center (the prototype)--predicts steep typicality gradients and large prototype-enhancement effects. Exemplar theory--which presumes that participants refer to-be-categorized items to memorized training exemplars-predicts flat typicality gradients and small prototype-enhancement effects. Across many categorization tasks that, for the first time, assayed monkeys' dot-distortion categorization, monkeys showed steep typicality gradients and large prototype-enhancement effects. These results suggest that monkeys--like humans--refer to-be-categorized items to a prototype-like representation near the category's center rather than to a set of memorized training exemplars.
Smith
J David
JD
Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. psysmith@buffalo.edu
Redford
Joshua S
JS
Haas
Sarah M
SM
D000818:Animals; D003210:Concept Formation; D003867:Depth Perception; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010469:Perceptual Distortion; D011601:Psychophysics; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D014163:Transfer, Psychology