The Development of Categorization

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目旨在促进我们对分类的发展和机制的理解-分类是人类智能的基本组成部分。本研究基于子服务类别学习的多重机制假设：(a)基于分布式注意和类别内统计学习的早期发展机制；(b)基于对类别相关信息的选择性注意的后期发展机制。为了验证这些假设，我们将对8-20个月大的婴儿、3-8岁的儿童和成人进行一系列实验。建议的项目有以下具体目标：具体目标1是研究在婴儿期和幼儿期类别学习的发展变化。为了实现这一目标，我们将创建可以通过分布式或选择性学习的类别结构

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed project is designed to advance our understanding of the development and mechanism of categorization - a fundamental component of human intelligence. The proposed research is based on the hypothesis of multiple mechanisms sub-serving category learning: (a) an early developing mechanism that is based on distributed attention and learning of within-category statistics and (b) later developing mechanism that is based on selective attention to category-relevant information. To test these hypotheses, we will conduct a series of experiments with 8-20 month-old infants, 3-8 year-old children, and adults. The proposed project has the following Specific Aims. Specific Aim 1 is to examine developmental changes in category learning in infancy and early childhood. To achieve this aim, we will create category structures that can be learned by either distributed or selective attention, with each pattern of learning resulting in different category representation. By focusin on attention during category learning and on patterns of generalization, we will infer how categories are learned and represented. By comparing category learning and representation across ages under the same task and by manipulating the category structure we will infer how category learning changes with development. Specific Aim 2 is to link the development of selective attention with the development of category learning. To achieve this aim will measure selective attention independently of category learning and will link variability in selective attention with variability of learning category structures that require focused attention. The proposed project will elucidate the development and mechanism of categorization - one of the most critical components of cognitive development. In addition to contributing to our understanding of typical cognitive development, these answers may also contribute to the early diagnostics and treatment of several intellectual disorders, such as autism and Williams syndrome.