Learning Categories by Creating New Descriptions (Goldstone)

Robert Goldstone, Indiana University, February 1, 2024

ABSTRACT:  In Bongard problems, problem-solvers must come up with a rule for distinguishing visual scenes that fall into two categories.  Only a handful of examples of each category are presented. This requires the open-ended creation of new descriptions. Physical Bongard Problems (PBPs) require perceiving and predicting the spatial dynamics of the scenes.  We compare the performance of a new computational model (PATHS) to  human performance. During continual perception of new scene descriptions over the course of category learning, hypotheses are constructed by combining descriptions into rules for distinguishing the categories. Spatially or temporally juxtaposing similar scenes promotes category learning when the scenes belong to different categories but hinders learning when the similar scenes belong to the same category.

Robert Goldstone is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Program in Cognitive Science at Indiana University. His research interests include concept learning and representation, perceptual learning, educational applications of cognitive science, and collective behavior. 

Goldstone, R. L., Dubova, M., Aiyappa, R., & Edinger, A. (2023). The spread of beliefs in partially modularized communities. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916231198238

Goldstone, R. L., Andrade-Lotero, E., Hawkins, R. D., & Roberts, M. E. (2023). The emergence of specialized roles within groups.  Topics in Cognitive Science, DOI: 10.1111/tops.12644.

Weitnauer, E., Goldstone, R. L., & Ritter, H. (2023). Perception and simulation during concept learning.  Psychological Review, https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000433.