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Representation development, perceptual learning, and concept formation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2011

I. P. L. McLaren
Affiliation:
Washington Singer Laboratories, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, United Kingdom. i.p.l.mclaren@exeter.ac.uka.j.wills@exeter.ac.uk
Andy J. Wills
Affiliation:
Washington Singer Laboratories, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, United Kingdom. i.p.l.mclaren@exeter.ac.uka.j.wills@exeter.ac.uk
S. Graham
Affiliation:
Clinical Imaging Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore117456. psysg@nus.edu.sg

Abstract

We argue for an example of “core cognition” based on Diamond and Carey's (1986) work on expertise and recognition, which is not made use of in The Origin of Concepts. This mechanism for perceptual learning seems to have all the necessary characteristics in that it is innate, domain-specific (requires stimulus sets possessing a certain structure), and demonstrably affects categorisation in a way that strongly suggests it will influence concept formation as well.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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