Experience-based and on-line categorization of objects in early infancy.
What processes do infants employ in categorizing? Infants might categorize on line as they encounter category-related entities; alternatively, infants might depend on prior experience with entities in formulating categories. These alternatives were tested in forty-four 5-month-olds. Infants who were familiarized in the laboratory with a category of never-before-seen objects subsequently treated novel objects of the same category as familiar-they categorized on line-just as did infants who were exposed to objects from the same category at home for 2 months leading to their laboratory assessment of object categorization. Infants with home experience also recognized novel category objects as familiar from the outset-that is, prior experience with category exemplars was brought to bear in laboratory tasks.
Bornstein
Marc H
MH
Developmental Neuroscience, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Suite 8030, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-7971, USA. Marc_H_Bornstein@nih.gov
Mash
Clay
C
D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D003118:Color Perception; D003210:Concept Formation; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005260:Female; D005795:Generalization, Stimulus; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D002666:Psychology, Child; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012858:Size Perception; D012931:Social Environment