Authors:

Rogers, T.T. & PATTERSON, K.

Reference:

Year of publication:

2007

CBU number:

6336

Abstract:

People are generally faster and more accurate to name or categorize objects at the basic level (e.g. “dog”) relative to more general (“animal”) or specific (“collie”) levels, an effect replicated in Experiment 1 for categorization of object pictures. To some this pattern suggests a dual-process mechanism in which objects first activate basic-level categories directly, and later engage more general or specific categories through the spread of activation in a processing hierarchy. This account is, however, challenged by data from Experiment 2 showing that neuropsychological patients with impairments of conceptual knowledge categorize more accurately at superordinate levels than at the basic level—suggesting that knowledge about an object’s general nature does not depend on prior basic level categorization. We consider how a Parallel Distributed Processing theory of conceptual knowledge can reconcile the apparent discrepancy. This theory predicts that, if healthy individuals are encouraged to make rapid categorization responses, the usual basic > general advantage should also reverse, a prediction tested and confirmed in Experiment 3. Implications for theories of visual object recognition are discussed.