The development of visual categorization based on high‐level cues

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigated the development of rapid visual object categorization. N = 20 adults (Experiment 1), N = 21 five to six‐year‐old children (Experiment 2), and N = 140 four‐, seven‐, and eleven‐month‐old infants (Experiment 3; all predominantly White, 81 females, data collected in 2013–2020) participated in a fast periodic visual stimulation electroencephalographic task. Similar categorization of animal and furniture stimuli emerged in children and adults, with responses much reduced by phase‐scrambling (R2 = .34–.73). Categorization was observed from 4 months, but only at 11 months, high‐level cues enhanced performance (R2 = .11). Thus, first signs of rapid categorization were evident from 4 months, but similar categorization patterns as in adults were recorded only from 11 months on.