Abstract
Object categorization emphasizes the similarities that bind exemplars into categories, whereas recognition memory emphasizes the specific identification of previously encountered exemplars. Mathematical modeling has highlighted similarities in the computational requirements of these tasks, but neuropsychological research has suggested that categorization and recognition may depend on separate brain systems. Following training with families of novel visual shapes (blobs), event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded during both categorization and recognition tasks. ERPs related to early visual processing (N1, 156–200 msec) were sensitive to category membership. Middle latency ERPs (FN400 effects, 300–500 msec) were sensitive to both category membership and old/new differences. Later ERPs (parietal effects, 400–800 msec) were primarily affected by old/new differences. Thus, there was a temporal transition so that earlier processes were more sensitive to categorical discrimination and later processes were more sensitive to recognition-related discrimination. Aspects of these results are consistent with both mathematical modeling and neuropsychological perspectives.
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This research was supported by a grant from the McDonnell-Pew Foundation Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, a 21st Century Collaborative Activity Award from the James S. McDonnell Foundation (supporting the “Perceptual Expertise Network”), National Science Foundation Grant 9729030, and National Institute of Mental Health Grant MH64812.
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Curran, T., Tanaka, J.W. & Weiskopf, D.M. An electrophysiological comparison of visual categorization and recognition memory. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 2, 1–18 (2002). https://doi.org/10.3758/CABN.2.1.1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/CABN.2.1.1