The role of context in the categorization of hybrid toy stimuli by 18-month-olds

Using a sequential touching procedure, we examined whether 18-month-olds could use different categorization strategies adaptively as a function of context. Infants were presented with test toys of land animals (quadrupeds), cars, and hybrids made by recombining car parts with animal parts. Infants who experienced a context emphasizing a taxonomic divide were subsequently more likely to form categories that reflected a taxonomic divide, whereas infants who experienced a context emphasizing a partonomic divide were subsequently more likely to form categories based on functional parts. These results suggest that 18-month-olds can adapt their categorization strategies flexibly in accordance with ambient contextual cues. This adds to the growing body of evidence that early categorization is flexible and not rigidly tied to characteristic features in the environment