Interdependence of Rule-Learning and Attribute-Learning

Abstract

Two experiments investigated the relationship between rule-learning and attribute-learning in concept identification. Exp. I yielded evidence that the two processes are interdependent. Thus different rules were apparently learned when different attributes were necessary to the solution. The number of defining attributes Ss used in a conjunction depended on whether size or position was a necessary attribute. This outcome was interpreted as a function of attribute-interaction. Incidental evidence indirectly supported the interpretation by clearly demonstrating a form of attribute-interaction. The findings of Exp. II clarified the preceding results. Ss did not use all the attributes about which they had information in forming rules. Exp. I may thus also have demonstrated the interdependence of rule-utilization and attribute-utilization.