Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning
Published on: November 2, 2012
Object names and object functions serve as cues to categories for infants
1Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-2710, USA. a-booth@northwestern.edu
Abstract:
Can object names and functions act as cues to categories for infants? In Study 1, 14- and 18-month-old infants were shown novel category exemplars along with a function, a name, or no cues. Infants were then asked to "find another one," choosing between 2 novel objects (1 from the familiar category and the other not). Infants at both ages were more likely to select the category match in the function than in the no-cue condition. However, only at 18 months did naming the objects enhance categorization. Study 2 shows that names can facilitate categorization for 14-month-olds as well when a hint regarding the core meaning of the objects (the function of a single familiarization object) is provided.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Concepts and Prototypes
The brain organizes this information using concepts, which are mental categories grouping linguistic data,...
Language Development
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
Mnemonic Devices
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
Exploration...
Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development
The Nativist Approach

