Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Alternative strategies of categorization

E E Smith1, A L Patalano, J Jonides

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109, USA. eesmith@umich.edu

Cognition
|April 29, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Cognitive psychology reveals two distinct categorization strategies: applying rules or assessing similarity. Neuroimaging confirms different brain circuits support these rule-based versus similarity-based categorization processes.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sex Moderates the Association between Frailty and Mild Behavioral Impairment.

The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease·2022
Same author

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 isolation measures on individuals with mood disorders in mental health clinics.

Journal of affective disorders reports·2022
Same author

Network analysis of impulse dyscontrol in mild cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive decline.

International psychogeriatrics·2021
Same author

Statin treatment and accrual of covert cerebral ischaemia on neuroimaging: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

European journal of neurology·2020
Same author

"If it helps someone, then I want to do it": Perspectives of persons living with dementia on research registry participation.

Dementia (London, England)·2019
Same author

Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations for Acute Stroke Management: Prehospital, Emergency Department, and Acute Inpatient Stroke Care, 6th Edition, Update 2018.

International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society·2018

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Traditional psychological studies often assume a single, unified process for all concept categorization.
  • This research challenges the unitary view, proposing qualitatively distinct categorization strategies exist.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To differentiate between rule-based and similarity-based categorization strategies.
  • To review experimental evidence supporting distinct categorization processes using artificial and natural concepts.
  • To explore cognitive neuroscience findings, including neuroimaging, related to these distinct categorization methods.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental studies employing artificial categories under varying instructions and time pressures.
  • Analysis of studies using natural concepts to demonstrate rule application versus similarity calculations.
  • Examination of neuroimaging data from a recent experiment comparing neural activity during rule-based and similarity-based categorization.

Main Results:

  • Experimental studies show that instructions or time constraints can shift participants towards either rule-based or similarity-based categorization.
  • Both artificial and natural concepts can be categorized using either rule application or similarity computations.
  • Neuroimaging results indicate distinct neural circuits are engaged for rule-based versus similarity-based categorization.

Conclusions:

  • Categorization is not a unitary process; distinct strategies, rule application and similarity computation, are employed.
  • Cognitive neuroscience provides evidence for distinct neural underpinnings supporting these different categorization strategies.
  • Understanding these distinct processes is crucial for a comprehensive model of human categorization.

Related Experiment Videos