The occurrence of holistic categorization

Abstract By a current consensus, less deliberate cognition produces holistic perceptual processing. Does it also produce holistic category learning? In three experiments, subjects were given categorization tasks (as in Kemler Nelson, 1984 , Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior 23, 734–759) which can be successfully performed using either an analytic, criterial-attribute rule, or a more holistic family-resemblance judgment. Different groups were speeded, given a difficult concurrent task, tricked into learning under incidental conditions, or given no impediment. As in Kemler Nelson, incidental learners used family-resemblance relations more than intentional learners in categorization decisions, and concurrent-task subjects did also. However, speeded subjects were clearly, strongly analytic. The implications of these findings for the link between implicit cognition and holistic processing are discussed. We also consider whether real-world categorization by adults, and category learning by children, are likely biased towards holistic similarity comparisons.