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Learning of hierarchical serial patterns emerges in infancy
Author(s) -
Lewkowicz David J.,
Schmuckler Mark A.,
Mangalindan Diane M. J.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.21614
Subject(s) - generalization , psychology , hierarchical organization , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , cognition , hierarchical database model , action (physics) , neuroscience , computer science , mathematics , mathematical analysis , physics , management , quantum mechanics , economics , data mining
Recursive, hierarchically organized serial patterns provide the underlying structure in many cognitive and motor domains including speech, language, music, social interaction, and motor action. We investigated whether learning of hierarchical patterns emerges in infancy by habituating 204 infants to different hierarchical serial patterns and then testing for discrimination and generalization of such patterns. Results indicated that 8‐ to 10‐month‐old and 12‐ to 14‐month‐old infants exhibited sensitivity to the difference between hierarchical and non‐hierarchical structure but that 4‐ to 6‐month‐old infants did not. These findings demonstrate that the ability to perceive, learn, and generalize recursive, hierarchical, pattern rules emerges in infancy and add to growing evidence that general‐purpose pattern learning mechanisms emerge during the first year of life.