Psychology Commons^™

Perceptual Precedence Or Increased Effort?: On The Mechanism Of The Small-Picture-Size Advantage In Category Learning, Toshiya Miyatsu

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I have previously identified a novel perceptual manipulation that enhances learning of some complex natural categories, and the current dissertation aims to uncover its mechanism. Specifically, learning of categories of tropical fish was enhanced when learned through small pictures (about 2º) compared to large pictures (about 19º). Through analyzing the previous results and extant theories in various domains, I identified two potential mechanisms through which this small-picture-size advantage manifested. The perceptual precedence hypothesis postulates that the processing of local dimensions is prioritized in large pictures and the processing of global dimensions is prioritized in small pictures. Therefore, small picture size …