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ERIC Number: EJ766130
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-May
Pages: 13
Abstractor: Author
Reference Count: 0
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
Cross-Classification and Category Representation in Children's Concepts
Nguyen, Simone P.
Developmental Psychology, v43 n3 p719-731 May 2007
Items commonly belong to many categories. Cross-classification is the classification of a single item into more than one category. This research explored 2- to 6-year-old children's use of 2 different category systems for cross-classification: script (e.g., school-time items, birthday party items) and taxonomic (e.g., animals, clothes). The results of Experiments 1 and 2 show that by a young age, children are able to cross-classify items into both category systems. Experiment 3 found that children mentally represent cross-classified items as simultaneously belonging to both taxonomic and script categories. Experiment 4 found that children often, but do not always, spontaneously activate taxonomic and script cross-classifications. Overall, the results demonstrate that from an early age children form and use both taxonomic and script categories for cross-classification.
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: Category Systems