title: Labels direct infants' attention to commonalities during novel category learning.
abstract: Recent studies have provided evidence that labeling can influence the outcome of infants' visual categorization. However, what exactly happens during learning remains unclear. Using eye-tracking, we examined infants' attention to object parts during learning. Our analysis of looking behaviors during learning provide insights going beyond merely observing the learning outcome. Both labeling and non-labeling phrases facilitated category formation in 12-month-olds but not 8-month-olds (Experiment 1). Non-linguistic sounds did not produce this effect (Experiment 2). Detailed analyses of infants' looking patterns during learning revealed that only infants who heard labels exhibited a rapid focus on the object part successive exemplars had in common. Although other linguistic stimuli may also be beneficial for learning, it is therefore concluded that labels have a unique impact on categorization.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Althaus
authors.affiliation: Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mareschal
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007802:Language; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D046709:Pattern Recognition, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D002666:Psychology, Child