Procedural learning in perceptual categorization

TitleProcedural learning in perceptual categorization
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2003
AuthorsF Ashby, G., Ell S. W., & Waldron E. M.
JournalMemory & Cognition
Volume31
Issue7
Pagination1114-1125
Date Published2003 Oct
ISSN0090-502X
KeywordsAssociation Learning, Attention, Awareness, Decision Support Techniques, Functional Laterality, Humans, Orientation, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Probability Learning, Problem Solving, Psychomotor Performance, Psychophysics, Reversal Learning, Size Perception
Abstract

In two experiments, observers learned two types of category structures: those in which perfect accuracy could be achieved via some explicit rule-based strategy and those in which perfect accuracy required integrating information from separate perceptual dimensions at some predecisional stage. At the end of training, some observers were required to switch their hands on the response keys, whereas the assignment of categories to response keys was switched for other observers. With the rule-based category structures, neither change in response instructions interfered with categorization accuracy. However, with the information-integration structures, switching response key assignments interfered with categorization performance, but switching hands did not. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that abstract category labels are learned in rule-based categorization, whereas response positions are learned in information-integration categorization. The association to response positions also supports the hypothesis of a procedural-learning-based component to information integration categorization.

Alternate JournalMem Cognit
PubMed ID14704026
Grant ListMH3760 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States