Rationale of Free Categorization in a Visual Array

Based on prior research we anticipate that participants will categorize objects at a general or superordinate level based on overall alignability or structural correspondence (having the same general parts in the same overall arrangement, even if the specific details differ across examples). More specific or subordinate level categorization should generally be based on individual discretely matching features. In this study, we investigate people's ability to recognize subordinate categories based on discretely matching features as a function of the temporal delay between matching objects. This is accomplished by displaying novel objects one at a time in a sequential presentation and having participants generate category labels. In addition we propose that certain underlying processes guiding the detection of categories may be distinguished by having participants provide rationale for the labels they are creating. It is predicted that participants conscious reasoning of their categorization will demonstrate that noticing similarity between two objects is a separate process from the actual decision to place those objects into the same category. By distinguishing the different processes involved in categorization we can better understand what factors and information drive our intuitive categorization of visual stimuli.