Human Classification Learning

Human classification learning is the process of learning to distinguish between different types or groups of things in the world. Humans are often presented with various situations in which people (friend or foe), objects (edible or toxic), and places (safe or dangerous) must be correctly classified to survive. Classification allows us to respond to these situations appropriately and further allows these situations to be identified and incorporated into groups, categories, or concepts based on similar properties. This entry will further define human classification learning as well as highlight different ways in which classification can be studied. Finally, the entry will briefly introduce the neural architecture underlying human classification learning.

To group or categorize various types of objects and situations, learners can either learn the group membership of each object or situation individually or can generalize by finding common attributes within a group of objects, with the aim of being able to apply the same action to these distinct, yet similar, objects or situations in future encounters. Classification learning can have several uses. Classification allows us to bypass the process of full identification of a stimulus, to quickly generalize across objects or situations in our environment on the basis of simple dimensions, and to respond appropriately to the environment. Classification allows us to quickly and efficiently distinguish among a wide range of objects even without the benefit of prior experience. In addition, classification enables us to [Page 393]easily group different objects so that more complex grouping structures within specific categories can be abstracted. In other words, classification is the initial process by which objects are parsed into separate groups before category membership can be determined, a necessary step one must go through to access information acquired through category learning.

Though similar, human classification learning should not be confused with category learning or even concept learning. Overall, classification emphasizes the processes involved in assigning stimuli to groups, whereas concept learning emphasizes the mental representations of our semantic knowledge of the world. Categorization often combines the process of classification with the mental representations of concept learning. However, at times these terms have been used interchangeably, so researchers and students in this area should take care when reading the scientific literature.