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Labels direct infants’ attention to commonalities during novel category learning

Althaus, Nadja and Mareschal, Denis (2014) Labels direct infants’ attention to commonalities during novel category learning. PLoS One 9 (7), e99670. ISSN 1932-6203.

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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.

Metadata

Item Type: Article
School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences
Research Centres and Institutes: Educational Neuroscience, Centre for, Brain and Cognitive Development, Centre for (CBCD)
Depositing User: Administrator
Date Deposited: 21 Jul 2014 10:55
Last Modified: 18 Jul 2025 08:13
URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/10203

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