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The effect of category variability in perceptual categorization

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Stewart, Neil and Chater, Nick. (2002) The effect of category variability in perceptual categorization. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, Vol.28 (No.5). pp. 893-907. ISSN 0278-7393

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.28.5.893

Abstract

Exemplar and distributional accounts of categorization make differing predictions for the classification of a critical exemplar precisely halfway between the nearest exemplars of 2 categories differing in variability. Under standard conditions of sequential presentation, the critical exemplar was classified into the most similar, least variable category, consistent with an exemplar account. However, if the difference in variability is made more salient, then the same exemplar is classified into the more variable, most likely category, consistent with a distributional account. This suggests that participants may be strategic in their use of either strategy. However, when the relative variability of 2 categories was manipulated, participants showed changes in the classification of intermediate exemplars that neither approach could account for.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology

Divisions:

Faculty of Science > Psychology

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

Categorization (Psychology), Decision making -- Testing, Pattern perception

Journal or Publication Title:

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition

Publisher:

American Psychological Association

ISSN:

0278-7393

Official Date:

September 2002

Dates:

Date	Event
September 2002	Published

Volume:

Vol.28

Number:

No.5

Page Range:

pp. 893-907

Identification Number:

10.1037/0278-7393.28.5.893

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Access rights to Published version:

Open Access

Funder:

Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Great Britain) (BBSRC), European Commission (EC)

Grant number:

R000239351 (ESRC), 88/S09589 (BBSRC), RTN-HPRN-CT-1999-00065 (EC)

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