Structure of Similarity

本研究的目的是发展和检验人类相似性加工的理论。相似性为许多概念学习、知识从一种情况转移到另一种情况以及泛化提供了基础。相反，相似性也可能是人为错误的一个来源，例如，当外观相似的材料或设备之间发生混淆时。这项研究将开发一种新的方法来涵盖一系列人类相似过程，从因果和功能相似到知觉相似。这种方法与以前的方法不同，它强调了构成相似性的心理过程。第一组研究将调查相互联系，即特征之间的相互作用是否可以使物体的某些方面在相似性判断中更加突出，甚至改变对其属性的心理解释。第二个问题是在判断两个图形的相似性时对齐的影响。这些研究将调查两个图形之间的表面相似性如何随着将对象表征的组成部分放置在对应中的容易程度而变化。第三组研究将调查相似性在构造性归纳中的作用。这些研究是基于这样一个假设，即当人们判断相似性时，他们有时会以一种只捕捉它们抽象共同点的方式来对齐不同的特征。例如，两个发动机，一个缺少风扇皮带，另一个发电机坏了，可能会被判断为相似，因为它们有故障部件。这些研究结果将使我们对相似性加工的范围和灵活性有更多的了解。下一组研究将解决相似性计算的动态过程。在这些研究中，人们将被要求执行快速相似性匹配或查看不同时期的相似性对；这将允许比较快速和缓慢的相似性判断。如果快速判断具有不同于慢速的动态，那么人类必须快速响应的接口和设备将不得不相应地设计。最后一组研究将调查相似性在其他认知过程中的作用。一些实验将检验相似性在基于范畴的归纳中的作用。例如，当人们被告知关于某个实体(例如，老虎)的新事实时，他们通常认为该事实适用于其他类似实体(例如，狮子)。这项研究将调查相似性是对称的还是方向性的，以及相似性的哪些方面会影响可以做出的进一步推断。其他实验将研究从记忆中提取的过程是否会改变项目的后续表征。如果存储在记忆中的项目被取回它们的过程改变了，这就表明了渐进学习是如何发生的，以及某些基于相似性的扭曲是如何发生的。

The goal of this research is to develop and test theories of human similarity processing. Similarity provides the basis for much of concept learning, transfer of knowledge from one situation to another, and generalization. Conversely, similarity can also be a source of human error, for instance when confusions between similar-looking materials or devices occur. This research will develop a new approach to encompass a range of human similarity processes, from causal and functional similarities to perceptual similarities. This approach departs from prior approaches in emphasizing the psychological processes that underlie similarity. The first set of studies will investigate interconnectivity, i.e., whether interactions between features can make some aspects of objects more salient in similarity judgments or even change the psychological interpretation of their properties. The second issue is the effect of alignment in judgments of the similarity of two figures. These studies will investigate how the seeming similarity between two figures changes as a function of how easy it is to place components of object representation in correspondence. A third set of studies will investigate the effect of similarity in constructive induction. These studies are based on the hypothesis that when people judge similarity, they sometimes align non- identical features in a way which captures only their abstract commonalities. For example, two engines, one missing a fan belt and the other with a broken generator, may be judged similar because they have dysfunctional parts. These research results will inform us about the range and flexibility of similarity processing. The next set of studies will address the dynamic process of similarity computation. In these studies, people will be asked to perform rapid similarity matches or will view similarity pairs for varying periods; this will allow comparison of fast and slow similarity judgments. If fast judgments have dynamics different from slow, interfaces and devices to which humans must respond quickly will have to be designed accordingly. The final set of studies will investigate the role of similarity in other cognitive processes. Some experiments will examine the role of similarity in category-based induction. For example, when people are told a new fact about some entity, (e.g., a tiger) they typically assume that the fact applies to other similar entities, (e.g., a lion). This research will investigate whether the similarity is symmetrical or directional and what aspects of the similarity affect further inferences that can be made. Other experiments will investigate whether the process of retrieval from memory can change the subsequent representation of the items. If items stored in memory are changed by the process that retrieves them, it suggests how gradual learning can occur and how certain similarity-based distortions can come about.