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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

Published on: February 8, 2019

Time course of visual object categorization: fastest does not necessarily mean first.

Michael L Mack¹, Alan C-N Wong, Isabel Gauthier

¹Psychology Department, Vanderbilt University, PMB 407817, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7817, USA.

Vision Research

|May 23, 2009

Summary

Basic level categorization is faster than subordinate level, but this does not mean it is processed first. The study found no difference in the onset time for basic versus subordinate object categorization.

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Last Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

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Published on: February 8, 2019

Creating Objects and Object Categories for Studying Perception and Perceptual Learning

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Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Published on: January 23, 2017

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Perception Science

Background:

Basic level categorization is generally faster than subordinate or superordinate levels.
The 'fastest means first' hypothesis suggests faster processing implies earlier processing.
The basic level is often considered the entry-level for category knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

To test the 'fastest means first' hypothesis in perceptual categorization.
To compare the time course of basic-level versus subordinate-level object categorization.
To determine if faster categorization necessarily means earlier processing.

Main Methods:

Utilized a signal-to-respond experiment to measure categorization time.
Presented objects at systematically varying time intervals after onset.
Analyzed the time course functions (onset, growth rate, asymptote) for performance.

Main Results:

Basic and subordinate categorization showed significant differences in growth rate and asymptote.
No significant difference was found in the onset time between basic and subordinate categorization.
The results challenge the notion that faster processing equates to earlier processing.

Conclusions:

Fastest processing does not necessarily imply the earliest processing stage in perception.
The 'fastest means first' hypothesis was not supported by the findings.
Categorization speed and processing order may be distinct phenomena.