[Learning and prototype formation of artificial categories defined by multidimensional normal distributions]. 1985

K Shiina

In order to approximate the variety of natural categories, two kinds of stimuli whose attributes vary according to different multivariate normal distributions are generated on CRT screen. Twenty undergraduate and graduate students served as subjects. Subject's task was to discriminate the stimuli. Results revealed that subject's performance can be explained very well by the parameters of the distributions (Exp.1). Although in previous studies prototypes have been assumed to be the mean value or central tendency of category instances, there is another possibility, especially when two or more concepts are simultaneously learned, that they have attributes which are emphasized. This hypothesis was confirmed in Exp.2, using 30 undergraduates as subjects. It was argued that we must distinguish at least two kinds of prototypes: the one formed by the most frequent instances and the other the most discriminate in contrast with the other concepts.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010364 Pattern Recognition, Visual Mental process to visually perceive a critical number of facts (the pattern), such as characters, shapes, displays, or designs. Recognition, Visual Pattern,Visual Pattern Recognition
D011601 Psychophysics The science dealing with the correlation of the physical characteristics of a stimulus, e.g., frequency or intensity, with the response to the stimulus, in order to assess the psychologic factors involved in the relationship. Psychophysic
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D002965 Classification The systematic arrangement of entities in any field into categories classes based on common characteristics such as properties, morphology, subject matter, etc. Systematics,Taxonomy,Classifications,Taxonomies
D004193 Discrimination Learning Learning that is manifested in the ability to respond differentially to various stimuli. Discriminative Learning,Discrimination Learnings,Discriminative Learnings,Learning, Discrimination,Learning, Discriminative
D005556 Form Perception The sensory discrimination of a pattern, shape, or outline. Contour Perception,Contour Perceptions,Form Perceptions,Perception, Contour,Perception, Form,Perceptions, Contour,Perceptions, Form
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000704 Analysis of Variance A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable. ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses

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