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Domain-general categorization in 14- to 24-month-old infants

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Domain-general categorization in 14- to 24-month-old infants

Rostad, Kristin (2008) Domain-general categorization in 14- to 24-month-old infants. Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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Abstract

The current experiments were concerned with the development of object categorization skills during the second year of life. Experiment 1 examined whether 18- and 24-month-old infants were capable of performing categorization at the domain-general level (i.e., very broad categories of animate and inanimate objects) using a sequential touching procedure. The 18-month-old infants categorized the objects at an above-chance level, but the 24-month-olds did not. However, the 24-month-olds demonstrated a higher percentage of cross-category touching (i.e., putting people on vehicles and furniture), which would make it difficult to demonstrate categorization using this particular procedure. In Experiment 2, 14-, 18-, and 24-month-old infants participated in a sequential touching task in which the part features of animate and inanimate objects were modified, allowing for a comparison of leg/wheel categorization (i.e., perceptually-based) and animate/inanimate categorization (i.e., conceptually based). None of the age groups performed either leg/wheel or animate/inanimate categorization at a level significantly greater than chance. Taken together, these results demonstrate that infants are capable of categorizing at a broad level during the middle of the second year of life, and that they do not use perceptual features as the sole basis for this categorization.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Psychology
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Rostad, Kristin
Pagination:viii, 58 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M.A.
Program:Psychology
Date:2008
Thesis Supervisor(s):Poulin-Dubois, Diane
Identification Number:LE 3 C66P79M 2008 R67
ID Code:976065
Deposited By: Concordia University Library
Deposited On:22 Jan 2013 16:19
Last Modified:13 Jul 2020 20:09
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