Research article summary (published 29 Jun 2009):

Better learning with more error: probabilistic feedback increases sensitivity to correlated cues in categorization.

Full Abstract

Despite the fact that categories are often composed of correlated features, the evidence that people detect and use these correlations during intentional category learning has been overwhelmingly negative to date. Nonetheless, on other categorization tasks, such as feature prediction, people show evidence of correlational sensitivity. A conventional explanation holds that category learning tasks promote rule use, which discards the correlated-feature information, whereas other types of category learning tasks promote exemplar storage, which preserves correlated-feature information. Contrary to that common belief, the authors report 2 experiments that demonstrate that using probabilistic feedback in an intentional categorization task leads to sensitivity to correlations among nondiagnostic cues. Deterministic feedback eliminates correlational sensitivity by focusing attention on relevant cues. Computational modeling reveals that exemplar storage coupled with selective attention is necessary to explain this effect.

Author information

Author/s: Little, Daniel R (DR); Lewandowsky, Stephan (S);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Crawley. daniel.r.little(-atsign-)gmail.com

Grants: T32 MH019879-14 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jul; vol 35 (issue 4) : pp 1041-61

Dates: Created 2009/07/09; Completed 2009/08/25;

PMID: 19586269, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 8/25/2009, IMS Date: )

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.

Attention - physiology Color Perception Concept Formation Cues Feedback - physiology Humans Intention Learning - physiology

Learning - physiology Models, Statistical Photic Stimulation Probability Problem Solving Reaction Time - physiology Sensitivity and Specificity Transfer (Psychology)

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