Conceptual transfer in preverbal children as a consequence of dimensional training

Abstract

Combinations of three dimension-highlighting procedures—perceptual isolation (P), functional matching (F), and response contiguity (R)—were administered to 3-year-old, “no-label” Ss as preliminary training for a highly abstract discrimination (angularity-curvature). There were four experimental groups (PFR, FR, F, and PR) and a no-highlighting control group (C). All Ss were trained to criterion using five distinct geometric pairs, and were then (a) probed for generalization to new instances and (b) on a subsequent conditional discrimination, tested for the ability to select the correct dimensional value (angular or curved) when cued by spoken labels and, conversely, to emit the correct labels when cued by angular or curved instances. The PFR, FR, and PR groups were significantly superior to the C group on the probe, and the PFR and FR groups significantly outper-formed the C, F, and PR groups on the conditional discrimination. The results were interpreted as supporting a selective attention rather than a verbal-associative theory of conceptual transfer.