The Role of Labels in Learning Statistically Dense and Statistically Sparse Categories

Alexey Kotov (), Liana Agrba (), Elizaveta Vlasova () and Tatyana Kotova ()
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Alexey Kotov: National Research University Higher School of Economics
Elizaveta Vlasova: Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
Tatyana Kotova: Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)

HSE Working papers from National Research University Higher School of Economics

Abstract: Subjects were given classic category formation tasks with feedback. We used two types of categories—statistically dense and statistically sparse. We conducted four experiments to assess the influence of sign type (experiment 1) and the interference of redundant actions performed with the sign (experiment 2) on the performance of learning different types of categories. We found that in the case of dense category formation, the visual distinction of the sign from other object features is more important. In the case of sparse category formation, easy verbalization is more important. Additionally we showed that verbal interference, directed at the actions with the sign, improves sparse category formation, but worsens dense category formation. The results of our experiments are discussed in accordance with the Competition Between Verbal and Implicit Systems (COVIS) model of multiple systems of categorization.

Keywords: categorization; concept formation; sign; category structure; learning. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 20 pages
Date: 2015
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe and nep-exp
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Published in WP BRP Series: Science, Psychology / PSY, March 2015, pages 1-20

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