Attribute learning in preschool children: Mediation and selection mechanisms

Abstract

Preschool children learned to respond to a black vertical line and were tested for orientation, form, and color generalization under two test procedures. The results indicated that (1) a procedure which approximated successive generalization testing (N) provided little evidence that any of the tested-for attributes were learned, whereas a procedure which contained dimensional “orienting” properties (0) indicated that each tested-for S+ attribute was learned; (2) group analyses of the 0 procedure suggested a hierarchical arrangement of learned attributes; however, additional analyses failed to reveal hierarchies for individual Ss. The results suggested that during training the S+ complex activates for different individuals either one, two, or three attribute mediators and that during Phase II, properties of the test operate to select activated mediators to control test behavior.