Research article summary (published 27 Apr 2008):

The conceptual grouping effect: categories matter (and named categories matter more).

Full Abstract

Do conceptual categories affect basic visual processing? A conceptual grouping effect for familiar stimuli is reported using a visual search paradigm. Search through conceptually-homogeneous non-targets was faster and more efficient than search through conceptually-heterogeneous non-targets. This effect cannot be attributed to perceptual factors and is not explained by a long-term representational reorganization due to perceptual-learning. Rather, conceptual categories seem to modulate visual representations dynamically, and are sensitive to task-demands. Verbally labeling a visual target further exaggerates the degree to which conceptual categories penetrate visual processing.

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Author information

Author/s: Lupyan, Gary (G);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University and Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburg, PA 15213-3890, USA. glupyan@cnbc.cmu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Cognition (Cognition), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Aug; vol 108 (issue 2) : pp 566-77

Dates: Created 2008/06/30; Completed 2008/09/17;

PMID: 18448087, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Adult Attention Humans

Humans Reaction Time Time Factors Visual Perception

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