title: Similar task features shape judgment and categorization processes.
abstract: The distinction between similarity-based and rule-based strategies has instigated a large body of research in categorization and judgment. Within both domains, the task characteristics guiding strategy shifts are increasingly well documented. Across domains, past research has observed shifts from rule-based strategies in judgment to similarity-based strategies in categorization, but limited these comparisons to 1 prototypical environment, a linear task structure, and a restricted set of strategies. To systematically compare the 2 domains, we considered several instantiations of rule-based and similarity-based strategies and examined strategy choice across different types of judgment and categorization tasks. Between participants, we varied task characteristics from a 1-dimensional linear to a multidimensional linear and to 2 multidimensional nonlinear tasks. Irrespective of domain, strategies considered, or model comparison technique used, we find that more participants relied on similarity-based strategies when the functional relationship between the cues and the criterion was nonlinear. Shifts from rule-based strategies in judgment to similarity-based strategies in categorization, however, were rare and most pronounced in 1-dimensional environments. These results support the hypothesis that the cognitive strategies people select to solve a judgment or categorization task depend less on the domain but more on the complexity of the task. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Basel.
authors: Janina A
authors: JA
authors: Hoffmann
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Basel.
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: von Helversen
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Basel.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Rieskamp
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D004777:Environment; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011897:Random Allocation; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult